Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I was not able to be present for the following rollcall votes on September 24, 2007. I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 891: ``yea''; rollcall No. 892: ``yea''; rollcall No. 893: ``yea''; and rollcall No. 894: ``yea''.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Thank you, Chairman Dingell, for your leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill and in support of America's children. We have two choices today: we can vote for this excellent bipartisan bill, which Senator Hatch appropriately called ``an honest compromise which improves a program that works,'' or we can vote against this bill and not only deny millions of children the chance to finally access health care, but strip it away from children who are already covered. Trust me: as a nurse, I know the power and prudence of providing this health care coverage for our kids. It is indeed an accomplishment that Congress can be proud of. This bill is responsible, and it's the right thing to do. Make no mistake, it is a compromise bill. But if we fail to pass this bill and even one child loses health coverage, we have failed our most important constituents, our children. I urge my colleagues, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Vote ``yes'' to protect children's health. ``Suffer the little children.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I was not able to be present for the following rollcall votes on September 10, 2007, and would like the record to reflect that I would have voted as follows: rollcall No. 865: ``yea,'' rollcall No. 866: ``yea.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, last week I was fortunate to visit Mexico City as a part of a bipartisan trip organized by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Our trip provided an excellent opportunity for my colleagues and me to meet with prominent Mexican leaders in business, journalism and government. It also provided a forum to discuss ongoing political and economic changes in Mexico and ways in which we can improve the relationship between the United States and Mexico. We discussed civic and political life in both countries, how we can work more closely with Mexican partner institutions to help bring about a more open, competitive and equitable society. One example is the security issues we both face, one which we share. Madam Speaker, our relationship with our friend and neighbor Mexico is critically important. It cries out for more cooperation and engagement. I want to thank the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars and its Mexico institute for facilitating this important dialogue. I know I was better able to get a picture of the state of democracy in Mexico, the shared goals and challenges that confront both of our countries, how we can be better neighbors to one another. So I hope we can continue this important conversation and build a better future for the United States and for Mexico.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3221, The New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act. Today, our economy relies on fossil fuels for energy and we simply must change that. Even President Bush admits we're ``addicted to oil'' and that this addiction is harming our country. The best way to beat this addiction is to stop using so much oil and gas by reducing demand, promoting renewables and alternative fuels, and encouraging smarter technologies. Focusing more attention on the potential of clean energy is something that I and others on this side of the aisle have been advocating for years. And since America is not exactly awash in oil and gas, reducing our dependence on them would be good not only for our environment, but for our economy and our national security as well. But, to be honest, we have to do more than talk about the potential that clean and safe energy has for this country. We have to provide the mechanisms to bring these energy sources to market and make changes in energy policy to encourage their use. And that's exactly what H.R. 3221 does. It encourages the efficient use of energy by creating new and stronger appliance and green building standards, and it promotes smart grid technology and plug-in hybrids. It also takes important steps toward restoring sound stewardship to the management of our public lands by ensuring responsible domestic energy development. And it creates a comprehensive framework to help address the negative impacts of global warming on our wildlife, public lands, oceans, and coasts. While I greatly appreciate the hard work that has gone into crafting this legislation, I look forward to the House doing more. Like increasing fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, increasing the use of homegrown renewables like wind and solar by requiring more electricity come from these resources, and adopting a national policy to deal with global warming. Madam Speaker, the American people want real, meaningful solutions to our nation's energy challenges. The leadership in the last Congress was driven by a futile desire to drill our way to energy independence. It attempted to do that by lavishing huge tax breaks on Big Oil and neglecting efforts to reduce demand and encourage clean energy. This bill delivers on the Democratic majority's promise of a new energy future. It will strengthen national security, promote economic growth and create jobs, lower energy prices and begin to combat the serious threat of global warming. I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation because it will pave the way to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, this bill is the reason I came to Congress, to continue my work for children's health. It's a blight on our Nation that millions of children in hardworking families still have no access to health care, and today we can undo that wrong. Through this fiscally responsible bill we ensure that millions more eligible children will be able to get primary care, manage life-threatening illnesses, improve their school attendance and grow into healthy, productive adults. And how fitting that at the same time we will improve Medicare for seniors. I wish to submit for the Record the piece by Ron Brownstein in today's L.A. Times where he calls the Bush and Republican arguments against this bill as not much more than stealing health care from babies. We do have a choice today. We can continue to ignore the health of millions of babies and children, or we can take the high moral ground and pass this bill which will provide health care to those who need it most. I want to commend Chairmen Dingell, Pallone, Rangel, and Stark for all the hard work they and the committee staff have done. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the CHAMP Act. Do something positive today for America's children. [From the Los Angeles Times, Aug. 1, 2007] Stealing Healthcare From Babies (By Ronald Brownstein) Does President Bush really believe what he's saying about the effort from congressional Democrats and some leading Senate Republicans to provide health coverage for millions of uninsured children? He's portraying it as the first step on a slippery slope toward ``government-run healthcare,'' as if senior senators in both parties were conspiring with Michael Moore to import Cuban doctors to inoculate and indoctrinate American children. In fact, Congress is moving responsibly to remove a blot on the nation: the 8 million children without health insurance. It is doing so by expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, a state-federal partnership that the Republican Congress and President Clinton created in 1997 to cover kids in working-poor families. Final votes on the House and Senate floors could come this week. Bush, seemingly determined to provoke every possible confrontation with congressional Democrats, has pledged to veto the bills. And with the GOP congressional leadership, he is fighting the proposals with a swarm of misleading and hypocritical arguments. Bush complains that expanding the program costs too much. But cost was no object when Bush and congressional Republicans sought to court seniors by creating the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003. Under the bipartisan Senate bill, Washington would spend about $56 billion over the next five years to cover almost half of the nation's uninsured children. Over the same period, the Medicare entitlement that Bush signed (after more than four-fifths of House and Senate Republicans voted for it) will cost nearly $330 billion. Is social spending affordable only when it benefits constituencies Republicans prize in elections? Next, Bush complains that the SCHIP expansion would require ``a huge tax increase.'' Actually, both the House and Senate plans would raise taxes just on tobacco. And the sponsors are increasing taxes only because they have committed to the novel notion of paying for their program. When Bush and the Republican Congress created the expensive Medicare drug benefit, they did not provide any new revenue to fund it. They just billed the cost to the next generation through higher federal deficits. Now Bush is condemning Democrats for displaying more responsibility. Bush also disparages the SCHIP expansion as an attempt ``to encourage people to transfer from the private sector to government healthcare plans.'' But studies have found that three-fourths of children covered under the current program receive their care through private insurance plans that contract with the states, notes Edwin Park of the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In that way, the program is no different than Bush's prescription drug plan: The government pays for services delivered by private insurance companies. Bush's argument that the SCHIP changes will unacceptably ``crowd out'' private insurance is misleading in another respect. It's true, as Bush charges, that if the program is expanded, some eligible families would shift their children into it from private coverage, hoping to save money or improve care. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that children making such a switch would account for about one- third of the 6 million kids expected to enroll in the expanded SCHIP program under the Senate plan, and hence one- third of the added cost. But as CBO Director Peter Orszag notes, all efforts to expand coverage for the uninsured inevitably spill some benefits on those who already have insurance. And the Senate SCHIP plan, by limiting that spillover to one-third of its cost, is actually more efficient than most alternatives for expanding coverage. Bush, for instance, wants to reduce the number of uninsured by providing new tax incentives for buying coverage. But the Lewin Group, an independent consulting firm, recently calculated that 80 percent of the benefits from Bush's plan would flow to people who already have insurance. Such numbers help explain why Orszag recently said that, dollar for dollar, expanding SCHIP ``is pretty much as efficient as you can possibly get'' to insure more kids. Bush's most outrageous argument is that expanding SCHIP ``empower[s] bureaucrats.'' In reality, covering more children would empower parents like Sheila Miguel of Sun Valley, Calif. Miguel used to spend hours in emergency rooms trying to obtain asthma medicine for her daughter, Chelsea, but since enrolling her in a SCHIP-funded program, Miguel can take her to reliably scheduled clinic visits. Bush says he wants ``to put more power'' over healthcare ``in the hands of individuals.'' By freeing Miguel's family from the worry and drudgery of repeated emergency room visits, that's exactly what SCHIP does. Few of the lower-income working families that rely on this program have the time to follow this week's legislative struggle, much less analyze how it serves the White House's apparent strategy of embroiling congressional Democrats in unrelenting conflicts with Bush that alienate swing voters. In that political skirmishing, these families have been reduced to collateral damage. They deserve something better from a president who once called himself a ``compassionate conservative.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding and agree with his sentiments. Mr. Speaker, I am rising now in full support of the rule and of the underlying bill, H.R. 2831. As chairman of the Democratic Women's Working Group, I am proud of how quickly this Congress is responding to a clear misinterpretation of a law designed to protect individuals from gender discrimination. It has taken us many years to reach a point where Congress now no longer wastes time in correcting an inequity when discrimination against women occurs. This is a real achievement. The bill before us rightly recognizes that victims of pay discrimination should not be punished because they were not aware of the discrimination against them at the outset. The Civil Rights Act exists to protect individuals precisely when they find themselves in the situation Lilly Ledbetter found herself in. It was never meant to be interpreted in a way that provides a loophole for employers to discriminate, but just to make sure that their employees are kept in the dark for 6 months. The Supreme Court ruling, if left to its own, signals to employers that it's, that is why it is so important that we now carry out our responsibility here in the Congress to provide a check and a balance against the Court's ruling. I want to thank Lilly Ledbetter for her courageous zeal in carrying out her efforts to get this injustice corrected. I was impressed when I met her. She came to testify on Capitol Hill, testify before the committee. She knows that this law that we are about to pass will not necessarily rectify her situation. But she knows also, having experienced this inequity over so many years and carrying out her job so faithfully, she got nothing but excellent reports and discovered, as she went to retire, that she had been getting unequal pay all these years. So I commend my colleague from California, Chairman Miller. I think it is so important that we carry out her determination on behalf of her workplace and the women that she represents who are so often sitting in the same situation as she did, finding themselves at their retirement, the fact that they were given unequal pay over all the years. They just didn't know what their colleagues were receiving. So I support Chairman Miller and the committee as a whole for being such strong protectors of workers' rights, regardless of race, gender or disability. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for the rule and the bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Steven Firestein and Kids Cancer Connection and the American Cancer Fund for Children for the tireless work that they do on behalf of children suffering from cancer. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proclaimed the week of December 11, 2006 as ``Childhood Cancer Awareness Week'' in the city of Los Angeles, and since then, many other cities have done the same. I am pleased to join Mayor Villaraigosa and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum in thanking Steven Firestein, the founder of American Cancer Fund for Children and its sister organization, Kids Cancer Connection, for his hard work and dedication in assisting children and their families fighting cancer. For over a decade, Steven has been providing critical services to children undergoing cancer treatments at many hospitals, including Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in my Congressional District. American Cancer Fund for Children provides hand-made caps for children following the trauma of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. The American Cancer Fund for Children also sponsors Courageous Kid award ceremonies and hospital celebrations in recognition of each child's bravery and determination in his or her struggle against cancer. I have been privileged to participate in these moving ceremonies and I can say that they have a significant impact on the patients and their families. As a nurse and as Co-Chair of the House Cancer Caucus, I understand firsthand the trauma that these children and their families suffer. I am so pleased to work with Steven as he dedicates countless hours of his time to bettering the lives of so many. He is a tireless advocate and greatly deserves recognition for his efforts. I hope that you will join me in recognizing this generous volunteer.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment and associate myself with the remarks and the eloquent statement of Chairman Obey and my colleagues. And I speak from the perspective of a nurse who worked for many years with these women and their families in the community I'm from. Title X is our Nation's primary program to provide family planning services. According to the Guttmacher Institute, Title X has been so successful that for every public dollar invested in family planning, $3 are saved in Medicaid costs alone for pregnancy and newborn care. In hundreds of communities across this country, the nonprofit Planned Parenthood is the major implementation of precisely the reproductive health care necessary to carry out effective family planning and to reduce unintended pregnancies. And they are contributing, these nonprofit organizations, to the successful implementation of Title X services. So I urge my colleagues to stand for family values and to vote against this amendment so that you can protect your constituents' access to proven, effective family planning services which have as their goal to reduce unintended pregnancies.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, I rise in strong support of the bill. While most government employees enjoy the right to collectively bargain with their employer, many fire fighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel across the country are denied this right. We must take action to end this injustice. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act would affirm the right of our Nation's State and local public safety officers to bargain collectively and work cooperatively with their employers. This critical legislation would do so by establishing minimum collective bargaining standards for all States. Such standards include: the right to collectively bargain over wages, hours and working conditions, establishment of a dispute resolution mechanism, and the enforcement of contracts through State courts. Our public safety officers put their lives on the line every day to protect us. Yet, they are denied their right to collectively bargain to better protect themselves and their families. Collective bargaining leads to higher wages, greater access to health care and better retirement benefits. Furthermore, cooperation between public safety employees and employers reduces injuries and fatalities because first responders are more likely to have the safety equipment and resources they need. Studies also show that communities promoting communication between public safety officers and their employers enjoy more efficient and effective delivery of emergency services. Over the years, we have expanded collective bargaining laws to protect private sector employees, non-profit association employees, transportation workers, and Federal Government employees. One of the few groups of workers not covered by these Federal laws is state and local public safety officers. They work tirelessly to protect us. We must take this opportunity to help protect them. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill to finally end this disastrous war. President Bush's war in Iraq has been the biggest foreign policy catastrophe in our Nation's history. We have been distracted from doing the job in Afghanistan, the Nation that harbored al Qaeda. Hundreds of billions of dollars have evaporated into the sands of Iraq while vital needs have gone unmet at home. Our international reputation has been battered and bruised. Our Army has been hollowed out. The war has cut short the lives of more than 3,600 of our bravest citizens, injured tens of thousands more. Yet this President continues to insist that we remain in Iraq. Today we must tell this President he is wrong. We must take a stand against this tragic war, begin the hard work of repairing our foreign policy. We must listen to the American people and vote to end this war. Let us truly support our troops and vote to bring them home.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to MSgt Hulan D. Greaves as he retires from the Air Force. He has been assigned to Detachment 1, 345 Training Squadron at Port Hueneme since 2003 and currently serves as Alfa Company Gas Phase Head. Master Sergeant Greaves was raised in Barbados and attended the Seventh Day Adventist School. In 1977, he came to the United States with his parents and resided in Brooklyn, NY, before joining the Air Force in 1986. Following his graduation from basic training, Greaves attended Technical Training School at Chaunte AFB, IL, and graduated as a General Purpose Vehicle Mechanic. After graduation, Sergeant Greaves was assigned to 27 Transportation Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM. After 2 years in New Mexico, he departed for Germany and was assigned to the 4th Air Support Operations Center, where he spent 4 years before relocating to Andersen AFB, Guam. Greaves then returned to Germany before he was assigned, in 1998, to Eglin AFB, FL to 16 Electronic Warfare Squadron as Vehicle Manager. In April 2003, Master Sergeant Greaves was selected for instructor duty and reported to Port Hueneme, CA. Master Sergeant Greaves currently holds an Associate's Degree in Vehicle Maintenance from the Community College of the Air Force and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science from Troy State University in Troy, AL. He has completed course 12, NCO Academy and Airmen Leadership School. Master Sergeant Greaves' decorations include Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 oak clusters, Air Force Achievement Medal with I oak cluster, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, AF Outstanding Unit Award with 4 oak clusters, AF Good Conduct Medal with 1 silver oak leaf, National Defense Service Medal with 1 bronze star, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 bronze star, Humanitarian Service Medal, AF Overseas Ribbon Short, AF Overseas Ribbon Long with 3 oak leaf clusters, AF Longevity Service with 3 oak leaf clusters, USAF NCO PME Graduate Ribbon with 2 oak leaf clusters and the AF Training Ribbon. Madam Speaker, I am honored today to pay tribute to MSgt Hulan D. Greaves and thank him for his tireless dedication to our country and wish him the best in retirement.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the College Cost Reduction Act. For far too long we've watched as Pell Grants have stayed flat and tuition has continued to soar, over 40 percent in the last 6 years alone. Students today are graduating with greater and greater debt. As a result, they are increasingly unwilling to take critical public sector jobs such as first responders, law enforcement officials, nurses and teachers because of the modest salaries. For example, nearly 32 percent of graduates pursuing teacher careers can't afford to repay their loans on a starting teacher's salary. By passing the College Cost Reduction Act, we are encouraging and rewarding public service by providing $5,000 in loan forgiveness to graduates who take public service jobs. Mr. Speaker, this is one excellent provision that makes an important investment in our communities, and it's just one of the many reasons I'm going to be supporting this legislation today. I urge all of my colleagues to support the College Cost Reduction Act.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to these amendments which eliminate, and I think we heard it clearly, eliminate the long-standing bipartisan moratorium that currently protects the Nation's most sensitive coastal and marine areas from new drilling. I support the current ban not just because I think our coasts are beautiful, and they are, and not just because I believe our coasts provide valuable environmental habitat, and they do, I support the ban because I know our coastlines are the economic engines of our communities and that is being threatened by new drilling. The people in these communities, I represent them. I know the value of their coastlines, and that is why they are so against new drilling in these areas. These amendments would mean drilling within 3 miles of the beaches of Florida, California, North Carolina, and other coastal States. It also means drilling where there isn't a whole lot of oil and gas, and where tens of millions of our citizens have made it clear they don't want more drilling. Mr. Chairman, the congressional moratoria has been in place for 26 years and reaffirmed by Presidents George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush, and every Congress since 1992. State officials have also endorsed the moratoria, including Republican Governors Charlie Crist and Arnold Schwarzenegger. These actions have all been met with widespread acclaim by a public that knows how valuable, environmentally and economically, our coastlines are. I represent a district with over 20 oil and gas platforms off its coastline. I know that drilling has serious consequences for the environment. I see it every day. I know that drilling generates huge amounts of waste, and significant levels of air and water pollution. These pollutants are a real threat to our public health. These amendments are just a continuation of the backward thinking energy policies that have gotten us here in the first place. Last year, 279 Members of Congress voted to protect the Outer Continental Shelf moratorium when we defeated a similar amendment to push for drilling off our coast. Votes against these amendments are the same thing: A vote to protect our coasts and a statement for new thinking on energy. And so I urge my colleagues with all the strength that I have to oppose these amendments and keep our coastline pristine, the economic engines that they are, and a stewardship we will pass on to our children and grandchildren.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. I rise in very strong opposition to both amendments by my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson) which eliminate current protections for sensitive, coastal marine areas for new offshore drill for oil and gas. Under these amendments, we could literally see the push for new drilling off our coast begin almost immediately. Though oil and gas companies awash in profits from our open constituents profits would have us believe that all the offshore resources are off limits today, that we are only talking about drilling for natural gas and not oil, and also that today's high gas prices demand this new drilling, these arguments don't hold up under scrutiny. First, the industry already has access to the vast majority of natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf, already has access to it. Indeed, according to the Bush administration, about 80 percent of the known reserves are located in areas where this drilling is already allowed. Furthermore, the oil and gas industry already owns the drilling rights to more than 4,000 untapped leases in the Gulf of Mexico alone. Second, there is no such thing as natural gas-only drilling. Drilling for gas, natural gas, means drilling for oil. Even the Bush administration and the energy industry have dismissed so-called gas-only drilling as unworkable. This is what the American Association of Petroleum Geologists has to say about gas only drilling. This is a quote, ``There are a lot of times when you drill for oil, and find gas instead--and the other way around. You never know for sure what you're going to find until you're in there.'' Here is another quote from the former head of Minerals Management Service. ``While gas-only leasing sounds appealing, as a practical matter, it may remain difficult to implement in a manner that reflects sound public policy.'' Now, finally, new drilling off our coast is not going to lower gas prices today or any time in the near future. It would take an estimated 7 years for natural gas from new leases to come online, 7 years. Serious energy efficiency measures, and more use of renewables, this would reduce demand and bring down prices much faster. Mr. Chairman, President Bush has promised to end our oil addiction. Yet, energy prices and industry profits are at record highs. The predictable result of a strategy of focusing on supply and ignoring demand. The Peterson amendment to drill within miles off Florida, California and other coastal States is just more of the same. With 3 percent of the world's resources, 25 percent of the world's demand, it should be obvious there is no way we are going to drill our way out of this problem. We need to use energy in smarter ways to improve fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks, invest more of the development of new, cleaner technology. In doing so, we would be generating way more jobs, the kinds of jobs and growth that will ensure our continued preeminence in among the world's economies. Let us not sacrifice our most important treasures, our coastal economies, in a hopeless way to drill our way to energy security. It doesn't work. I urge all my colleagues to protect our coasts by defeating both Peterson amendments.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment, and I thank the chairwoman of the Foreign Operations Committee for her leadership in this area. My life has been devoted to public health, to bettering it. And this amendment is bad public policy wherever it will affect lives. It forces, actually, bad public health policy and removes the flexibility to opt for better allocation of public health services. PEPFAR is extremely important to our fight against the transmission of HIV/AIDS and our treatment of the 40 million people living worldwide with this disease. But as the Institutes of Medicine and GAO have both reported, country teams have been greatly limited in their ability to provide effective lifesaving services by the restriction that has been placed for the past several years. I applaud Chairwoman Lowey for lifting this restriction by allowing PEPFAR funds to be spent where they are actually needed in order to accomplish the program's goal. We spent all last week listening to complaints about a lack of responsible spending. Quite frankly, making the amount of funds available for proven effective public health programs dependent upon spending for unproven, ineffective programs is the epitome of irresponsible spending. So I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, to support responsibility.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to MSgt Richard J. Brule, as he retires from the United States Air Force. MSgt Brule hails from Colorado Springs, CO and enlisted in the USAF on May 14th, 1987. During his tenure, he has consistently shown leadership and motivational skills in training other personnel in various skills. MSgt. Brule began his Air Force career as an experienced mechanic and while at Nellis A1C, helped to establish a ``Self Help'' bay by building, supplying and mounting a tool shadow board in the minor maintenance section. This project enabled local organizations to perform their own minor maintenance which helped to clear the work order backlog, often returning vehicles to service within the same day. Continuing his exemplary service, Brule was selected as ``Airman of the Quarter'' while stationed at RAF Bentwaters in the UK. During operation Desert Storm, Sergeant Brule played a key role in preparing and deploying 120 vehicles to the AOR. Shortly after arriving at Aviano AFB in Italy in 1992, Brule was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. His mechanical knowledge and management skills led to his selection as NCOIC of the Privately Owned Vehicle Inspection Center. In 1996, SSgt Brule was assigned to F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming and was selected as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the 90th Security Forces Squadron Vehicle Repair Station, where he was responsible for the maintenance of 125 rapid response vehicles. Within a year of arriving at Sembach Annex, Germany, SSgt Brule was again promoted, this time to Technical Sergeant, where he assumed a great deal of responsibility. Finally, in 2006, MSgt Brule arrived at the 1st Detachment, 345th Training Squadron at Naval Base Ventura County, in my Congressional District. MSgt. Brule is currently teaching the gas phase and pipeline. It is my pleasure to submit this to the Congressional Record, recognizing the character and dedication of MSgt Brule, upon his retirement.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Dr. Manuel (Manny) Lopez as he celebrates his 80th birthday. Dr. Lopez has served the Oxnard community as a doctor, an activist, a community volunteer and as an elected official. I am pleased to recognize Dr. Lopez on this special day. Born in Oxnard in 1927, Dr. Lopez attended local schools through high school, attended Ventura Community College and went on to attend DC Berkeley for his undergraduate education and as a student of optometry. He returned to his community and has practiced Optometry in Oxnard since 1962. Before serving on the Oxnard City Council for 12 years and then serving as mayor for 14 years, Dr. Lopez was involved with the Oxnard Planning Commission, the Housing Authority, the Redevelopment Agency, the Community Relations Commission and the Economic Development Commission. While serving as a Member of the Council and as mayor, Dr. Lopez represented the city on a number of local and regional committees dealing with such issues as transportation planning, wastewater treatment, local airport policy and agricultural land preservation. He has also participated in many community groups such as the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Oxnard Optimist Club, the Oxnard Boys and Girls Club and many others. As a result of his dedication to his community, Dr. Lopez was chosen as the 1991 Oxnard Distinguished Citizen of the Year and, in 1992, he received the Patrick Henry Award. In 2006 Dr. Lopez was the Grand Marshal of the Oxnard Christmas Parade. It is my honor, Madam Speaker, to recognize and commend Dr. Manuel Lopez for his ongoing service to his community on this joyous occasion of his 80th Birthday.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Senate 5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. But then again, you already know that because I have stood on this floor countless times in the past few years expressing this same sentiment. Today, we have an opportunity to again pass a bill that would direct federally funded, ethical stem cell research and fulfill a promise to the overwhelming majority of Americans who support it. Fortunately, my State of California has stepped up to the plate and dedicated $3 billion to embryonic stem cell research. But this is only the first step. Because the only way to make true progress is through coordinated research conducted on a national level. In the meantime, we sit and watch as scientists throughout Europe and the rest of the world make breakthroughs that the United States cannot as long as our researchers' hands are tied. What amazes me most about this debate today is the rhetoric used by the opposition about using Federal money to create and destroy embryos. But then again, that is just what the opponents want you to believe, when, in fact, it is just plain untrue. As we have discussed many times before, this bill explicitly mandates that Federal funds only be used to conduct research on stem cells already extracted from embryos created by in vitro fertilization which would have been discarded anyway because the donors no longer need or want them. Please vote today in favor of this bill that will give hope to millions of Americans, including the loved ones of everyone in this body. My own family members suffer from diseases that may be cured through embryonic stem cell research. There is really nothing else left to say other than please don't let these people down. Don't tell them that the potential for cures for their diseases are not important enough. Finally, I want to commend my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and all of the people who have worked so tirelessly to bring this sound, bipartisan legislation here before us today.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, in 2002, the House passed the No Child Left Behind Act, the biggest Federal overhaul of our public school system in decades. Now, 5 years later, the Congress has an opportunity to reevaluate the law and address what doesn't seem to be working. During last week's Memorial Day district work period, I met with teachers, parents and school administrators to listen to their thoughts on NCLB. I wanted to hear from the people who are in our classrooms every day. They have seen firsthand the success and failures of the law over the last 5 years. The most important thing I heard is that there isn't a single teacher, parent or administrator opposed to accountability, but they sure had a lot to say about how we measure it. I learned that, regardless of a school's status, everyone had similar concerns with the accountability measures and assessment of subgroups by the law. Hearing firsthand about the implications of NCLB through my classrooms visits and meetings with parents, teachers and school administrators was a powerful and instructive experience. As we continue the process of reauthorizing NCLB, I encourage us all to visit schools, talk to teachers, see for ourselves how this law is affecting our public schools. A little more time in the classroom is good for us all.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I voice my deep disappointment with the recent Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tires. Women, on average, are paid less than their male counterparts. For women of color, the pay is much less. Unless you can look me in the eye and say that women are less intelligent, less capable than their male counterparts in the same fields, the most glaring explanation for this discrepancy is discrimination. We have made great strides in working to equalize wages for all Americans regardless of gender, race or age. But the decision last week to limit a worker's available recourse in the face of discrimination is a setback to all of our civil rights, and reminds us of how far we still have to go. Now we must mobilize. To fix this disparity, we must move forward and correct the law so this misinterpretation will never occur again. I urge my colleagues to support a legislative remedy to preserve a worker's right to be compensated for discrimination.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a strong supporter of Israel, of the Palestinian people, and of achieving a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine exist peacefully side by side. I have had the pleasure of visiting Jerusalem on more than one occasion, and am keenly aware of its importance to people of different faiths. I rise today, however, to voice my disappointment that H. Con. Res. 152 conveys rather empty rhetoric instead of constructive observations and commitments. The United States has always served as the historical broker of peace agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors and this is a role that we should continue to fulfill and I believe we should return to taking a much more active role in negotiations than we have under the Bush Administration's tenure. However, passage of a resolution by the United States Congress which fails to recognize the progress of past peace negotiations runs contrary to achieving our ultimate goal of a lasting peace in the region. Jerusalem is the rightful capital of Israel and will forever remain the capital of Israel. However, it has long been understood that a permanent agreement about the Palestinian areas of Jerusalem will be left to final-status negotiations. The sooner the United States returns to a more active participant in the peace negotiations, the sooner we can arrive to a solution for Jerusalem. But in the meantime, I think we tread on dangerous territory when Congress adopts positions that run counter to issues that have yet to be negotiated. Israel's victory in 1967 was necessary to shatter the idea that the State of Israel could ever be destroyed. Make no mistake that I am firmly committed to the viability and security of a Jewish state in Israel. However, it would be naive to ignore the unresolved consequences of the war and foolish to believe that continued occupation does not pose a real threat to Israel's well-being. I hope that we can use the anniversary of the Six-Day War to look forward and reaffirm a real commitment by the United States to achieve at last a workable two-state solution and a lasting peace.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the important and essential role that oncology nurses play in providing quality cancer care and to recognize May as ``Oncology Nursing Month.'' Oncology nurses are the health professionals involved in the administration and monitoring of chemotherapy and managing the associated side-effects patients may experience. As anyone who has ever been treated for cancer will tell you, oncology nurses are intelligent, well-trained, highly skilled, kind-hearted angels who provide quality clinical, psychosocial, and supportive care to patients and their families. Every day, oncology nurses see the pain and suffering caused by cancer and understand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges that people with cancer face throughout their diagnosis and treatment. In short, they are integral to our Nation's cancer care delivery system. Cancer is a complex, multifaceted and chronic disease. People with cancer are best served by a multidisciplinary health care team specializing in oncology care, including nurses who are certified in that specialty. One in three women and one in two men will receive a diagnosis of cancer at some point in their lives, and one out of every four deaths in the United States results from cancer. Today, more than two-thirds of cancer cases strike people over the age of 65, and the number of Medicare beneficiaries is projected to double in the coming years. Last year approximately 138,680 people in California were diagnosed with cancer and another 55,960 lost their battles with this terrible disease. Since 1975, the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) has been dedicated to excellence in patient care, teaching, research, administration, and education in the field of oncology. ONS is the largest organization of oncology health professionals in the world, with more than 35,000 registered nurses and other health care professionals. The Society's mission is to promote excellence in oncology nursing and quality cancer care. I am pleased that ONS has 19 chapters in California which support oncology nurses in their efforts to provide high quality cancer care to patients and their families throughout our state. I commend ONS and its members for their steadfast commitment to improving and ensuring access to quality cancer care for all people with cancer. I am proud to support the goals and ideals ONS and I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing oncology nurses for their communities not only in May, but year-round.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 296, recognizing National Eosinophil Awareness Week, and I commend my colleague Congressman John Larson for bringing attention to this issue. Eosinophilic disorders are devastating as patients literally suffer from an attack on their bodies by their own immune systems. They are chronic disorders that have no cure and can even be fatal. Because they are rare, patients often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. And as a nurse, I have seen intimately how heartbreaking it is for a patient and his or her family to go through test after test while suffering all the while from an unidentifiable condition. That is why I support this resolution, calling for greater awareness of eosinophilic disorders and encouraging health care providers to increase education about these diseases. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. I have no more speakers.