Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my committee chairman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, as a representative of areas affected by the recent wildfires and as a cosponsor of House Resolution 1322, I rise in strong support of this legislation, and I thank my colleague and my neighboring Member of Congress, Congressman Farr, for introducing this resolution. In the last 3 weeks, more than 1,700 wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in our home State of California. In my district alone, the Gap Fire, one of the State's highest priorities now, has burned nearly 10,000 acres and threatened several hundred homes in the city of Goleta. Yet, despite high winds and temperatures, our incredible firefighters and emergency personnel have limited the destruction, have saved hundreds of homes, hundreds of lives. I am so proud to say that California's emergency preparedness system and procedures are among the best in the Nation. My constituents in Goleta are the most recent beneficiaries of this system. I have to admit that I am a little biased toward our firefighters as well. Years ago, as a school nurse, they taught me CPR, they taught me first aid, they helped me train our school personnel. They are a wonderful asset to safety and preparedness in our communities. From their base at Dos Pueblos High School, State and local officials have worked together to move resources from across the State to areas that needed them most. They're masters at doing this. If not for this organized and swift effort, many more acres, homes, and lives could have been lost. As we speak here today on the floor of this House, in this well, thousands of men and women are putting their lives on the line, enduring great hardships to protect our wildlife, our property; indeed, our lives. Today, we commend these amazing individuals and we express our gratitude at their sacrifice and their service. I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Farr, to join all of us in thanking and honoring these courageous individuals by supporting this legislation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 802, the Marine Pollution Prevention Act of 2008. I also echo the comments of the ranking member in praise of the bipartisan nature of this legislation. I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Mr. Cummings for their leadership in bringing this very important bill to the floor of the House. H.R. 802 authorizes the EPA and the Coast Guard to issue enforcement regulations for the MARPOL Treaty Annex VI, which was approved by the Senate 2 years ago, with the goal to reduce harmful emissions from large oceangoing ships. Implementation of this treaty amendment is an important first step for the protection of the health of our citizens in coastal areas of the United States. We know, for example, that large oceangoing ships are a major source of soot, sulfur dioxide, and smog-forming pollution, strongly associated with premature deaths, hospital visits, and asthma attacks. The emission from these ships can cause serious heart and lung problems, and can contribute to an increased risk of lung cancer. This is clearly important in my congressional district along California's South Central Coast. In 2005, more than 7,000 oceangoing transits were made along our coastline. As these ships come through the Santa Barbara channel, heading to the ports of Hueneme, Los Angeles, and Long Beach, it is the case that the prevailing wind conditions blow most of the air pollution onshore. Currently, these vessels emit over 45 percent of all the emissions of nitrogen oxides in Santa Barbara County, more than all the road vehicles combined. If left unregulated, these ships will contribute almost 75 percent of the county's nitrogen oxide pollution by 2020. This forecasted increase in air pollution from large ships could wipe out the hard won air quality improvements achieved in the last 30 years on California's central coast. It is very clear that action must be taken to reduce these emissions which are impacting the lives of thousands of people living in my district every single day. And as I address this situation so harmful to this particular part of the coastline, I am aware that every coastal district in this Nation, the Pacific Coast, Atlantic, Gulf, and the Great Lakes would be affected perhaps in similar ways. So would the people who wish to visit these beautiful coastal areas. The IMO, Mr. Speaker, is considering adopting new, more effective emission standards for large ships, but the U.S. will only have influence on these new standards if our country completes ratification of the MARPOL Annex VI Treaty via this implementing legislation. So I certainly hope we can seize this unique opportunity where industry, ports, environmental organizations, and regulatory agencies are aligned in moving forward to reduce emissions from this very large source of air pollution. Again, I want to thank the chairman for bringing this legislation to the floor of the House today which means so much to my constituents. I urge its immediate passage.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Sandra M. Bodin, who just completed her services as President of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association, ANNA, for her dedication and contributions to nephrology nursing and kidney patients across the country. ANNA is one of the largest and most prestigious nursing associations in America. The organization is the recognized leader in nephrology nursing practice, education, research, and advocacy. ANNA's members are registered nurses and health care professionals at all levels of practice. They care for patients of all ages who are experiencing, or are at risk for, kidney disease. The organization's mission is to advance nephrology nursing practice and positively influence outcomes for patients with kidney or other disease processes requiring replacement therapies through advocacy, scholarship, and excellence. As an active member of ANNA, Sandra has served as President, Vice President, and as a member of the Board of Directors. Also, she received the Ron Brady Memorial Award for Excellence in Volunteer Leadership from ANNA in 2002. As ANNA's president Sandra has inspired nephrology nurses to reach the highest levels of practice and patient care. She is a visionary leader who has implemented a broad range of initiatives that will continue to improve care for patients whose lives depend on dialysis and other kidney replacement treatments. Professionally, Sandra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Nursing from the College of Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She became a Registered Nurse in 1977 and a Certified Nephrology Nurse in 1992. Sandra currently is the lead Clinical Informatics Analyst and Application Coordinator at the SMDC Health System in Duluth Minnesota. Sandra has also worked at the Miller-Dawn Medical Center and St. Mary's Hospital, both in Duluth. I honor her efforts to promote the care of those suffering from kidney disease. I recognize her achievements as a nurse, patient advocate, and healthcare leader. I commend Sandra on her service to the American Nephrology Nurses' Association and our country. Please join me in commending Sandra M. Bodin for her years of vision, leadership, and commitment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding. I rise in strong support of this legislation. The oil and gas companies, awash in profits, would have us believe they have nowhere to drill. That's just plain wrong. It is the Bush administration which acknowledges that 80 percent of our oil and gas reserves are in areas where drilling is already allowed. The industry is sitting on nearly 70 million acres of public lands where it could be drilling, but isn't. The oil and gas industry already owns drilling rights to more than 6,000 untapped leases in the Gulf of Mexico. If the industry is so eager to produce more oil and gas, it should get to it. We don't need to open more lands to drilling, when industry is dragging its feet on producing where it already could. Mr. Speaker, this recent push by President Bush and Senator McCain to open up the rest of our coast to offshore drilling is a ruse. It's not about lowering gas prices today, or even in the future. In response to the previous statement, yesterday Guy Caruso, head of the Bush administration's Energy Information Agency, said the following about the impact of new drilling, and I quote, ``It would be a relatively small effect because it would take such a long time to bring those supplies on. It doesn't affect prices that much.'' This push for new coastal drilling is really just a last-ditch effort to get rid of barriers to drilling everywhere before the Bush administration leaves office. It's an attempt for favored special interest to oil companies to get one more favor from its friends. And the high gas prices Americans are now paying offers the perfect cover. I urge my colleagues to call this industry's bluff. If Big Oil wants to drill on public lands, it can do so now. Please vote for this legislation that tells the industry to use it or lose it.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise in response to recent calls for new offshore drilling. These arguments for new drilling hit a dry hole for several reasons. First, we are already drilling offshore. Eighty percent of the known offshore reserves are in areas where leasing and drilling is allowed. Today, the oil companies have nearly 6,000 untapped leases in the Gulf of Mexico alone. Second, with 3 percent of the world's resources and 25 percent of the world's demand, there is no way we are going to just drill our way out of this problem. Third, even the Bush administration admits consumers would see little savings at the pump from new drilling. Yesterday, Guy Caruso, head of the Energy Information Agency, said this about the impact of new drilling: ``It would be a relatively small effect, because it would take such a long time to bring those supplies on. It doesn't affect prices that much.'' Democrats have a better plan. Let's pass legislation that moves America in a new direction on energy by closing the Enron loophole on Wall Street speculators who are driving up prices. Let's reduce mass transit fares and build the infrastructure there, and let's force Big Oil to use it or lose it on drilling permits. I urge my colleagues to join with me in bringing America to a new, more affordable energy future.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 3195, the ADA Amendments Act, I rise is strong support of the bill. One of the most fundamental principles of our great nation is that all people, regardless of color, gender, or ability have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The ADA was passed to further this principle, and to ensure equal opportunity and access for individuals with disabilities. When Congress passed the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, it was intended to be interpreted broadly in order to protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of ability. Sadly, the Supreme Court ignored these intentions. Over the last ten years, the Supreme Court has ruled that those who use mitigating measures such as medication or eyeglasses to manage their disabilities are not ``disabled enough'' to qualify for relief under the ADA. Under the Court's ruling, people with conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, cancer, and mental illness are repeatedly denied employment based on their disability, only to be denied relief for not being disabled. This simply makes no sense. The ADA Amendments Act will restore the original intent behind the ADA, and clarify the definition of disability to prevent future mistakes by the courts. Americans with disabilities have been denied their civil rights for too long. The ADA Amendments Act will restore these rights, and help protect people with disabilities from future discrimination. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3195.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6331. The alternative to this bill is a 10 percent pay cut for doctors who serve critical seniors and those with disabilities. Our doctors are desperate for this. It is emergency care. It is a band-aid approach, but at least it will stop the bleeding. Last year we had a much better package, the CHAMP Act, which we did debate on this floor and which we did vote out. It hit a roadblock in the other body and at the White House. This bill at least ensures our physicians can continue practicing in our communities and serving the Medicare population. I do want to mention two important items, a cost saving provision which will improve services for the Medicaid beneficiaries by expanding the numbers of patients who can be covered by the county organized health systems in Ventura and other counties in California. This is a proven way to provide cost-effective access to quality health care, and it has been in place in my County of Santa Barbara for many years. I also want to commend the inclusion of E-Prescribing language. I was proud to work on this with my colleagues Allyson Schwartz and Jon Porter. E-Prescribing will ensure prescriptions are transmitted safely. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 445, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5781, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act. It is long overdue for our Nation's largest employer, the Federal Government, to provide its employees with a more family-friendly workplace. It is hard to believe the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not provide its employees with paid family leave, especially considering 75 percent of Fortune 100 companies already provide an average of six to eight weeks of paid parental leave. H.R. 5781 would provide Federal employees with four weeks of paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child. Currently, new parents have to use vacation time, if they have it, or accept unpaid leave to care for a new child. This puts incredible economic strain on Federal employees and their families. Considering the current economic downturn, forgoing several weeks' pay at the same time one's household expenses increase for newborn care leaves many families in a desperate financial situation. Yet President Bush has again ignored the needs of the American people, and threatened to veto this important bill based on a bogus claim of fiscal responsibility. During these times of economic troubles, the President's charade of fiscal conservatism is hurting our economy, hurting our workforce, and hurting American families. All of us here in Congress appreciate the value and importance of public service. Federal workers have chosen a career in public service, and they should be rewarded with fair benefits. It is time to finally give Federal employees the benefits they deserve. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' H.R. 5781.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague. Madam Speaker, I rise in very strong support of H.R. 1553, the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. It is very fitting that we have named this legislation in memory of Caroline Pryce Walker, daughter of this bill's champion, my dear colleague, Deborah Pryce. This bill is going to take necessary and important steps to address specific needs of pediatric cancer in at least three significant ways. It will ensure that we have enough qualified pediatric oncologists and nurses. It will improve clinical trials for the treatment of cancer in children. Finally, it would also conduct more public awareness about treatment options and support for children with cancer and their families. As one of the co-chairs of the Cancer Caucus, along with my colleague from Ohio, I am so proud to see this bill, which was one of our priorities, and a personal priority as we all know, moving forward. I want to share a bit about how the momentum behind this bill has already spurred people across the country into action. Just this past Saturday, I attended an event in my town of Santa Barbara called ``Kids for a Cure.'' Amazingly, it was organized by Madison Lewandowski, an 8-year-old constituent of mine, who, despite being so young, knows that she can make a difference in the lives of others. I told my young friends who were gathered last Saturday that I was going to share this story as a testimony to this legislation and to what is happening across this country. Madison organized a wonderful charity event, with proceeds going to the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara's pediatric research fund. We all enjoyed a day of story telling, face painting, a silent auction, and this amazing rummage sale in which children and their families brought used toys to share with other children and their families and raise money in the process, and that money all going to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. I can think of nothing more powerful than the sight of children advocating on behalf of other children. I know our colleague from Ohio in these past 9 years has spearheaded a number of community events around the country actually and in this city to raise awareness for childhood cancer and to raise the necessary funds to be added to the funds, which our legislation will hopefully make possible for pediatric cancer. So whether it's through community organizing or comprehensive legislation, we are all working together in this country to fight pediatric cancer. I am honored and proud to be a part of this effort, particularly on this day, to honor my colleague and friend as well because of the dedication she has provided for this House in leading us to this point. I thank the leadership of our committee that has brought us to this point as well and the work that we will do with our colleagues to make sure this legislation is passed and signed into law.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the troubled state of our world's oceans. Last month, I attended an ocean science summit in Monterey, California. Also there were State and Federal policymakers and scientists concerned about our oceans and the lack of attention our Federal Government has given them. This year's summit marked the 10-year anniversary of the Year of the Ocean and the oceans conference in Monterey attended by President Clinton and Vice President Gore. In the intervening 10 years, the Federal Government has done little to address the oceans' growing problems, ranging from overfishing to pollution to coastal development and global warming. California and Massachusetts have had to step into the breach, but problems as big as our oceans can't be addressed by a few States. Fortunately, there is a solution. Oceans 21, introduced by Representative Farr and moving through the Natural Resources Committee now, establishes a national oceans policy and a framework for national and regional management of our shared ocean resources. I strongly urge my colleagues to sponsor Oceans 21. Join us, and help provide stewardship for this vast resource and protect it for future generations.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Chairman, I rise to ask for your assistance to help alleviate the shortage of qualified and experienced nurse instructors in the United States, including in the military. Right now, we are told that the limiting factor in increasing the number of nurses to try to head off the looming nurse shortage is the number of faculty available in our nursing schools.

Mrs. CAPPS. Like you, I feel that military nurses are especially equipped to take on the leadership role required of a nurse instructor. We need to ensure that we meet our mutual goal of increasing the capacity of colleges of nursing in order to graduate more nurses who can fill current vacancies that are widespread, both in the military and civilian sectors. I believe that this type of program can be a model for other programs to alleviate shortage of nurse faculty, and would ask the chairman to keep an open mind to other approaches to alleviating the nursing shortage. And I appreciate the urgency created during a time of war.

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank the esteemed chairman for his efforts.

Mrs. CAPPS. I want to thank the chairman for his excellent leadership in improving health care for our servicemen and women, and especially appreciate his inclusion of a demonstration project in the National Defense Authorization Act.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1022. I was proud introduce this resolution with my colleague and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, Cathy McMorris Rodgers. And I am equally proud that 122 Members of the House joined in cosponsoring H. Res. 1022, including almost every single woman Member of the House and our esteemed Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Last fall, I was fortunate to lead a delegation of women Members to a conference entitled ``Women Deliver.'' This conference brought together nearly 2000 participants from around the world, including parliamentarians, diplomats, health professionals, patients and activists. We joined there and resolved to make a greater investment in women in order to improve maternal health. No woman should have to die giving life and I was proud to see individuals from every background--ethnically, culturally, religiously, and from all income levels--agree that we must deliver for women by ensuring that they can safely deliver. The 500,000 maternal deaths that occur annually are largely preventable. We know that through family planning, making emergency care more widely available, and increasing the number of skilled health professionals who can attend to births we can combat the epidemic of maternal death both at home and abroad. After all, the United States is not immune to maternal death and we experience the highest rate of maternal mortality than all other industrialized nations. As we close out the month of May, when we celebrated Mother's Day, let's join in making a stronger commitment to improving maternal health. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3323, the Goleta Water Distribution System Conveyance Act of 2007--a bill I introduced last year that would authorize the title transfer of a federally owned water distribution system in my congressional district from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Goleta Water District. First, I want to thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Rahall, and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Ms. Napolitano, as well as the ranking members of the full Committee and Subcommittee for bringing H.R. 3323 before us today. The purpose of the legislation is to simplify the operation and maintenance of the District's water distribution system and eliminate unnecessary paperwork and consultation between the District and the Bureau. The Goleta Water District has operated and maintained the facilities proposed for transfer since the 1950s. They have worked through all requirements of the Bureau's title transfer process, including public meetings, fulfillment of their repayment obligations, completion of an environmental assessment, and compliance with all other applicable laws. The only step remaining to complete the process is an act of Congress enabling the Secretary of the Interior to transfer title. It is important to note that the proposed transfer would apply only to lands and facilities associated with the District and would not affect the District's existing water service contract with the Santa Barbara County Water Agency nor the Federal government receipts from water deliveries under the contract. In addition, the proposed transfer does not envision any new physical modification or expansion of the service infrastructure. I'm pleased the administration is supporting my legislation, which will allow the Bureau to focus its limited resources where they are needed most. In my view, this is an example of local problem-solving at its best. I commend the staff of the water district and the Bureau for their efforts to reach this agreement. I know that they have been working on this for several years now. Again, I would like to thank the Natural Resources Committee for supporting this bill, and urge its immediate passage.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of House Resolution 1173, I rise today to recognize National AmeriCorps Week. Last night, the House passed this resolution overwhelmingly. Since 1994, nearly 500,000 AmeriCorps have served with thousands of nonprofits, public agencies and faith-based organizations across America. Through AmeriCorps, these individuals dedicate their time and energy in a variety of areas to help meet the needs of local communities. In my home State of California alone, more than 7,900 people this year will participate in one of more than 7,500 AmeriCorps programs throughout the State. One such program is coordinated by the Santa Barbara County Education Office in my district. This program provides daily tutoring and reading for over 700 at-risk students, recruits volunteers for additional educational programs, and works to increase disaster preparedness in the schools in the county. The 62.4 million hours served by AmeriCorps members have bettered the communities and touched the lives of countless Americans. This is the U.S.A. at its best. To all these incredible AmeriCorps members, I commend you and thank you for your service.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our troops, and in support of a responsible U.S. policy in Iraq. I have opposed the Iraq war from the very beginning. Over 5 years later, this war has taken the lives of more than 4,000 of our brave troops. Our armed forces are incredibly strained, and our nation's image tarnished in the wake of this foreign relations disaster. I have opposed continued funding of this war in the past, and I will vote against Amendment No. 1, which gives the President another blank check. Amendments No. 2 and No. 3 of this bill, however, are a marked and deliberate shift away from the failed and short-sighted policies of President Bush. And No. 2 requires that all troops be fully trained and equipped before deployment, and calls for a redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin in 30 days. It also bans any permanent U.S. bases in Iraq and codifies contracting fraud as a criminal offense. Amendment No. 3 will restore the education benefits under the GI bill to include a full, 4-year college education for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Mr. Speaker, this war has taken an incredible toll on American troops, their families, and our entire country. We cannot turn back the hands of time, but we can move forward to bring our troops home, end this war, and provide them with the tools they will need to continue their education. As this New Direction Congress has done time and again, today we will tell the President that he is wrong. Let us truly support the troops and vote to bring them home.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 331) supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week, and for other purposes.

Mrs. CAPPS. I want to thank again the authors of this resolution, Mr. Hinchey, who is here, and Mary Bono Mack, who is also the other coauthor; and to thank the speakers on behalf of this resolution. And again, to remind us all the importance of Women's Health Week, setting aside the time to call attention to the importance of women taking care of their own health and providing the resources so they can do this, because it's women's health at stake, but also, often since the woman is the primary instigator within the family, and often the community as well, of the health of every member, that this serves a purpose that is very important to the health of our Nation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 331. National Women's Health Week is celebrated annually during the week following Mother's Day. The purpose of this week is twofold. First, we can use it to raise awareness about the health risks all women face, especially the risks that are unique to women. We use it to learn that, for example, heart disease is the number one killer of women, and half a million women die every year in childbirth. But the second purpose is so we can take proactive measures to improve women's health. We can use this opportunity to remind our sisters, our mothers, our daughters and our friends to get annual checkups and screenings that are recommended for them at their age. And we can use this opportunity to adopt healthier lifestyles that are essential to preventing chronic disease. As co-chair of the Women's Caucus, I am very proud of several bills that have been introduced and/or passed out during this Congress to address women's health issues. Last year, we reauthorized the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to provide low-income women with access to these essential screenings. We also passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. And nearly every woman in the House is cosponsor of the Heart for Women Act, H.R. 1014, as well as H. Res. 1022 regarding maternal health. But we are also fortunate to have a few good men, actually more than a few good men working with us, such as the ranking member on this bill, and Maurice Hinchey who has taken the lead by introducing this resolution for a few years now, along with Mary Bono Mack. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution in the House today, and also to have a conversation with the women in their lives about what steps they can take to improve their health. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 3 minutes at this time to the gentleman from New York, Maurice Hinchey.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend we celebrated Mother's Day. I was fortunate enough to celebrate with my children and grandchildren. Sadly, many women never get the chance to celebrate this day with their family. Throughout the world, a woman dies every single minute in childbirth. I think most of our congressional colleagues would be shocked to learn that this problem isn't faced by women in developing nations alone. The United States ranks 41st in the world, lower than all other industrialized nations, when it comes to maternal mortality. Let us use this opportunity, while Mother's Day is fresh in our minds, to renew our commitment to improving maternal health both at home and abroad. I thank the 117 of our colleagues in the House of Representatives for cosponsoring House Resolution 1022, a resolution underscoring our challenges and urging us all to support the goal of a safe and healthy childbirth for every mother and baby here in the United States and all around the world.