Judy Chu

Ms. CHU

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

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Ms. CHU. I yield the gentleman another 1 minute.

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from Washington, the sponsor of this legislation, Mr. McDermott, for 3 minutes. (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. CHU. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise today to congratulate the University of Washington softball team for their victory in the 2009 NCAA Division I tournament. On June 2, softball fans were treated to an exceptional game as the Washington Huskies defeated the Florida Gators and clinched their first national title. The close 3-2 win capped off a phenomenal season that saw the Huskies go 51-12. I want to extend my congratulations to head coach Heather Tarr and assistant coaches Gina Carbonatto and Lance Glascoe. Coach Tarr played softball for the Huskies in 1988 when they placed second in the Women's College World Series. She returned to her alma mater in 2003 and delivered Washington their first women's softball national title. Congratulations are also in order for pitcher Danielle Lawrie. Lawrie, a junior from Langley, British Columbia, led the Nation in strikeouts and wins. She was named the 2009 USA Softball National Player of the Year. In addition, Lawrie was one of five finalists for the prestigious Honda-Broderick Cup, which honors the top female athlete in collegiate athletics. The Huskies showed incredible effort and ability during their run to the championship. Niki Williams set a Women's College World Series record with 10 RBIs and an unbelievable seven of them were in one game against the University of Georgia. During the College World Series, the Washington Huskies batted .304 and scored 32 runs over six games. This followed a two-game sweep of Georgia Tech in Atlanta and a dramatic 15- inning win over the University of Massachusetts to clinch a spot in the super-regionals. The extraordinary achievement of this year is a tribute to the skill and dedication of the many players, coaches, students, alumni, families and fans that have helped to make the University of Washington a premier softball program. I know the fans of the University of Washington will revel in these accomplishments as they look forward to the 2010 series. Mr. Speaker, once again, I congratulate the University of Washington softball team for their success and thank Representative McDermott for bringing this resolution forward. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 517 into the Record.

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 517) congratulating the University of Washington women's softball team for winning the 2009 Women's College World Series.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the benefits of service- learning as a teaching strategy to effectively engage youth in the community and classroom, and to support the goals of the National Learn and Serve Challenge. I want to thank my colleagues from the National Service Caucus, Mr. Platts, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Price, and Mr. Kennedy, for introducing this important resolution. Service-learning is an educational model that can be used from kindergarten to the university level across all subjects and disciplines. By integrating learning in the classroom with real world challenges in the community, service-learning can make school assignments come alive for typically disconnected students. By affording students the opportunity to apply their lessons to solving real problems in their surrounding communities, we are not only engaging our students, but we are also helping to improve our local neighborhoods. Research has shown long-term positive impacts associated with service-learning, including increased academic achievement, enhanced school engagement, positive civic attitudes, and improved social and personal skills. Students who complete a service project that has a direct tie to their curriculum are able to develop better problem- solving skills and have a better understanding of cognitive complexities. Studies have also shown a connection between service- learning and higher grades and test scores. Service-learning is also a successful strategy for keeping students engaged in school and makes students less likely to drop out. More than just community service, service-learning applies classroom skills by asking students to investigate a challenge in their community, plan solutions, take action through service, and then reflect on the experience and the results. Students who are engaged in this process become more involved in their studies and in their neighborhoods. In fact, studies have shown that service-learners have better school attendance and more acceptable school behaviors than their peers. Service-learning also promotes positive civic attitudes and fosters involvement in our democracy. Research suggests that students involved in service-learning opportunities build self-confidence, leadership skills, and increase their tolerance of others. Further studies have also shown that high school students that participated in service- learning are more likely to vote 15 years after their experience than those that did not participate. Finally, students who are exposed to service-learning build important social and personal skills. Service-learning serves as an on-ramp to civic engagement for a lifetime. Students who are involved with service develop strong ethics and a sense of social responsibility. Participation in those programs has also been shown to reduce negative behaviors such as those that lead to arrest or pregnancy. In order to call attention to the many benefits of service-learning, the National Learn and Serve Challenge will take place October 5-11. This week-long nationwide celebration of service will raise awareness of service-learning and foster collaborative partnerships between local schools, institutions of higher education, and their surrounding communities. The organization has set an ambitious goal of having 5 million college students and 50 percent of K-12 schools engaged in meaningful service by 2010. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for the National Learn and Serve Challenge, and I encourage more schools to take advantage of the many benefits service-learning can have on our students and our communities. I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, opponents of the health care reform bill are trying to confuse and to scare the American people. They are trying to prey on fear of the unknown. Opponents claim that the average American will fare worse under this bill because health care will be rationed by some faceless bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., but they clearly have not traveled to my district in California or they would know that rationing is already happening to people of every age and background. Insurance companies are already denying coverage if you are sick, have a preexisting condition, or are not independently wealthy. In my district, a healthy middle class father's care was rationed when he was told he could not have insurance when his wife was pregnant because he had asthma as a child. A hardworking man was told that, despite working 30 years in a factory, he wasn't wealthy enough to deserve the cancer treatment that he desperately needed. Health care reform will prohibit the kind of rationing that my constituents struggle with every day.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Thank you, Chairman Miller. As a professor for over 20 years in the L.A. Community College District, I know firsthand how important community colleges are to helping hardworking Americans achieve their dreams. About one out of every two college students attends a community college, and they are some of the hardest workers I have ever met. My students came from all walks of life. They were immigrants, single moms and laid-off workers, and many of these students were the first in their families to go to college. Community colleges are the backbone of our Nation's workforce, providing students with technical training to fill our Nation's most critical fields. They excel at meeting the needs of students from all backgrounds and circumstances. The investments in this bill truly reflect the role community colleges play in our economy. Seven billion dollars is provided to reinvigorate the community college experience, to improve instruction, initiate job placement counseling, and create nontraditional programs for students on the weekends, evenings or even online. There is $2.5 billion in grants provided to renovate community college facilities. It will allow them to accommodate their growing enrollment and provide students with modern equipment and facilities so they are better prepared when they graduate. In an increasingly competitive world economy, America's economic strength depends upon the education and skill of its workers. This bill will help us to meet that challenge.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, the rich heritage of our Hispanic citizens has enriched the fabric of our culture since before there was a United States of America. From the old Spanish forts of Florida to today's vibrant communities of East Los Angeles in my own district, Latino culture has been, and continues to be, an important part of our national identity. Our diversity is the key to our strength, and America would not be the great Nation it is without the passion, ingenuity, and perseverance of the millions of immigrants who have come to our shores looking for a better life. The values of our Hispanic communities, those of hard work, strength of character, commitment to family and country, are also American values. And today the entrepreneurial spirit of our 47.5 million Hispanic Americans is an integral part of our economic recovery. So I ask my fellow colleagues to join me today as we recognize the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and to stand proudly with me in acknowledging that the Hispanic Dream and the American Dream are one and the same.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Mr. Howard Ransom Jr., who passed on the morning of July 26, 2009, at the young age of 55. My heart goes out to his wife, Linda; father; brother, Phillip Ransom; sister, Sheila Ransom; a niece; three stepchildren; his grandson, and the rest of his family. Ransom was an extraordinary citizen, an activist for at-risk youth and disadvantaged adults in the South Los Angeles community for more than 30 years. His volunteerism spans several organizations including the Brotherhood Crusade, Young Foundation and the United Way. Born on April 4, 1954, in Chicago to Howard Ransom Sr. and Ollie B. (Cooper) Ransom, Howard Jr. was reared in Oakland. He graduated from Oakland High School and went on to receive bachelor degrees in Theatre Art and African American studies at California State University, Hayward. As an instructor with the Los Angeles Unified School District for over two decades, Ransom was a tenured ``master teacher'' at the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center in Watts, where he succeeded in preparing at-risk youth and educating adults in human development and skill enhancement curriculums. He was noted nationwide for his success in preparing students for GED testing. In 1992, Ransom co-designed a civil service training program that focused on postal employment for the residents of Watts. More than 800 men and women (many on welfare) enrolled in the program during its first year, with 68 percent completing the class and passing the exam with scores in the top percentile. Ransom received numerous recognitions for his accomplishments, such as ``Educator of the Year'' Award from the Young Center for Academic and Cultural Enrichment, and was chosen as a ``Living History Maker'' by Turning Point Magazine. I urge all my House colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Howard Ransom for his remarkable service and contribution to our community. He has made a true impact on the lives of many youth and adults, and will be truly missed.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, not in six decades have we been this close to achieving the most crucial task of reforming our health care system. Let me be clear: we would be derelict in our duty to the American people if we let this opportunity go to waste. Now, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that this legislation amounts to the government takeover of health care and that Americans will be stripped of their choices of doctors and plans, but the reality is that everybody in this country will lose if they don't have health care reform. People like Mary Smith, a 45-year-old with diabetes who just lost her job, she will no longer have to worry about whether she can get insurance again. Certainly, in my district, everybody will benefit, the 155,000 who lack health care coverage but, also, the majority of my constituents who are insured. They will have stability, security and peace of mind in having health care that they can count on no matter what happens. You will always have options for coverage even if you change or lose your job. You will never be denied coverage if you get sick. Doing nothing is not an option.

Ms. CHU

Ms. CHU. Speaker Pelosi and fellow Members of the House of Representatives, I'm so honored and humbled to be here in this great hall of Congress. I'm especially honored to follow in the footsteps of my mentor, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, whose support and encouragement I truly cherish. I am proud to have been elected by a district of people in California, in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles, that is diverse, that is working class, and that cares deeply about its senior centers, parks, and community centers. They are anxious to ensure that their kids will have a job when they graduate from college, that they don't have to fear getting sick, and that they can be secure in staying in their homes. I look forward to working with you and making sure that this happens. I want to thank my supporters for believing in me so strongly. And they are up there. I want to thank my family, my nieces--my family especially. My husband, Mike Eng. It is at times like this when I think about my grandfather, who came to this country with nothing. He worked hard and opened up a small Chinese restaurant and working night and day, day and night, and he used that very expensive labor--his sons--to make ends meet. And now, two generations later, here I am. America is truly the land of opportunity. I thank you all very much.