David Cicilline

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, this week is the 30th annual National Travel and Tourism Week. On Monday, I met with travel and tourism leaders in my State to discuss what we can do at the Federal level of government to strengthen this key sector of our economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, travel and tourism generated $2 trillion in economic output in 2012. The industry is also one of America's largest employers, supporting 14.6 million jobs. And this is especially important for my home State of Rhode Island, where the travel and tourism sector supports more than 40,000 jobs and generates $3.5 billion in spending. But we need to do more to support the travel industry, as well as the small business community that depends on a thriving tourism economy. I am a cosponsor of the bipartisan JOLT Act, a bill that would revise existing visa laws to support the American travel and tourism economy while maintaining essential national security protocols. I look forward to working further with my colleagues to highlight the importance of our travel and tourism economy in a way that will put men and women back to work in Rhode Island and across our country.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 129, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentlelady very much for yielding and thank my other colleagues for accommodating me. My home is in Providence, Rhode Island, which is about an hour south of Boston. Two weeks ago, several of my friends and neighbors traveled to Boston to compete in the marathon. When I first learned of these horrific attacks, my thoughts first turned to them and their families. Like all Rhode Islanders, I've kept the people of Boston and their loved ones in my thoughts and prayers over the past 2 weeks. It's in moments such as this that words fail to adequately describe the pain we feel in our hearts, our continuing sense of disbelief, and the anger we hold toward those responsible for such a senseless and vicious attack-- the actions of these two individuals that demonstrated such a callous disregard for so many lives, some were ended and many were irreversibly changed. These attacks were an attempt to shake the very foundation of our democratic and free society. But after these bombs exploded on a beautiful sunny day in Boston and we saw the incredible harm caused to so many, we also witnessed the very best of humanity in the courageous actions of the brave men and women who responded to this attack, helped care for the injured, and relentlessly pursued their perpetrators and brought them to justice. We think about those brave police officers and first responders who witnessed these attacks firsthand and instinctively raced towards the source of these blasts so they could assist the wounded and keep others from harm. We think also about a 26-year-old MIT campus police officer who was murdered as he worked to keep his community safe. We think about an MBTA transit police officer who never hesitated when he answered a call to report immediately to Watertown and continues to fight after sustaining life-threatening injuries trying to apprehend these suspects. Sometimes it takes a tragic event to remind us of the incredible sacrifices our first responders make every single day. And the heroism demonstrated by these men and women in the face of such overwhelming danger helps remind us just how much we owe to those who keep our communities safe in cities and towns all across this country. These attacks were designed to strike fear and intimidate the people of Boston and all Americans. But instead, they brought out the very best that our country has to offer, not just in the actions we saw from men and women in Boston, but in the generosity shown by those who gave blood, donated money, and did everything they could to bring any measure of relief for the victims and their families. I join my colleagues in applauding their service today, and ask that all of us remember the responsibility that those of us in the House have to serve our first responders and to continue to keep the families affected by this attack in our thoughts and prayers.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, as the Representative for Rhode Island's First Congressional District, which is home to many Armenian American families, I am honored to rise today in order to thank His Eminence, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, for offering our opening prayer and for recognizing the 98th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide. A native of Aleppo, Syria, Archbishop Choloyan was first ordained into the priesthood in 1967. He attended the American University of Beirut where he majored in history and later received two master's degrees from the Princeton Theological Seminary. Since 1998, Archbishop Choloyan has served as the prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and has focused his efforts on strengthening local faith communities under his jurisdiction. On behalf of the Armenian community in my home State of Rhode Island, I am honored to welcome the archbishop here today and to join him in remembering the victims of the Armenian genocide--the systematic extermination of Armenians living under the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. I join members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues in urging that our government finally recognize the Armenian genocide as a historical fact.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Day of Silence, which is coordinated nationally by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, and organizes students across our country to take a vow of silence for the day to highlight the bullying and harassment that many LGBT youth encounter in their public schools. I am proud to join Congressman Engel from New York to introduce a resolution today in support of the goals of the National Day of Silence, and I will continue to work in this Chamber to raise awareness about this ongoing problem. I ask that the House now join me in observing a moment of silence for LGBT youth who are victims of harassment and violence in cities and towns all across this country, and as a symbol of our commitment to guarantee that every child in America can study and learn in a safe environment.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, last Monday, men and women from around the world traveled to the beautiful city of Boston to take part in the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. But this longstanding American tradition, this celebration of athletic achievement was shattered at 2:50 eastern time when two bombs went off along the finish line, killing three spectators, including an 8-year-old child, and injuring nearly 200 more. At times like this, words fail to capture the sense of our disbelief, the pain in our hearts, and the anger we feel towards anyone who would do such great harm to so many innocent lives. Although we do not yet know the identity of the perpetrators, what we do know is that our country will not rest until they are brought to justice. The American people will emerge from this horrific incident stronger and more united than ever before. Like all Rhode Islanders since last Monday, my thoughts have remained with the people of Boston and all of the victims of this vicious act of violence and their loved ones, and I pray that the passage of time might bring them some level of comfort.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following editorial by Former Congressman Barney Frank. Ruling for Same-Sex Marriage Would Be Right, Not ``Activism'' (By The Honorable Barney Frank) People who are caught making assertions that blatantly contradict positions they have previously taken often respond that ``Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,'' trying to trade an old quote for a little intellectual honesty. But inconsistency is nothing to be proud of. It is an unmistakable sign that a person has lost confidence in an argument but believes it can be won by invoking some general principle, even if it's one the person has previously repudiated. Then the hobgoblin involved is the person's effort to hide his or her real motive. We will--I hope--soon see an example of rhetorical hobgobliny if the Supreme Court issues an opinion holding that the law that currently treats my marriage to my husband Jim as a threat to society is a clear denial to us of the equal protection of the law. If a majority holds that the stupidly named Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, right-wing advocates of the view that same-sex married couples should pay the same taxes as our straight fellow citizens but not receive any of the same benefits will respond not so much by defending this blatant discrimination as by piously denouncing ``judicial activism.'' They will have no other option. Persisting in the claim that happily married men in an opposite-sex marriage will, on seeing Jim and me together, be sorely tempted to abandon their wives clearly no longer has the persuasive power it once had. When DOMA was enacted in 1996, it was apparently plausible to most Americans that those of us in same-sex marriages would have the same effect on some men as a popular juice commercial claims for its product. Instead of slapping their foreheads and regretting that they hadn't had a V-8, the fear was that they would see Jim and me and proclaim, ``I could have married a guy.'' To their credit, the right-wingers understand that since there has been no such result in the nine years since same- sex marriage was first legalized in Massachusetts, nor in any of the other eight jurisdictions that have followed, claiming that they are defending their marriages by defunding mine is a losing proposition--intellectually, factually, and increasingly electorally. So they will instead invoke the principle that unelected judges should not annul laws adopted by the elected President and Congress, piously insisting that it is the right of the people in our system to make the laws. But they will only be pretending to believe in that principle. In fact, since 2010, conservatives--including virtually all of those who will denounce the judicial activism of the anti-DOMA decision--have been working hard to get these very same judges to annul most of the laws enacted by the elected president and Congress in 2009 and 2010. Conservatives not only sought to have the health care bill canceled by judges, they have denounced Chief Justice Roberts for voting not to overturn the elected officials' decision. The financial reform bill has been the subject of multiple conservative-backed lawsuits seeking to cancel regulation of speculation in oil, to block consumer protection, and to return derivative trading to its unregulated status. Most glaringly, the right-wing politicians are hoping the Supreme Court will throw out one of the greatest legislative achievements of the past fifty years--the Voting Rights Act (This law was passed in 1965 and has since been reenacted several times, under the signature of Ronald Reagan among others.) Exposing the inconsistency--i.e., hypocrisy--of conservatives who will weep for democracy if discrimination based on sexual orientation is struck down while they are utilizing that very process to rescind financial regulation, un-defend consumers, reduce health care programs, and take away voting protections understandably makes them uncomfortable. And labeling those of us who do it as hobgoblins does not solve their rhetorical problem. Lacking any basis for the proposition that same-sex marriages cause any harm to those who have opted not to enter into one, the pro-DOMA faction needs an inconsistent denunciation of judicial activism to avoid acknowledging that their real motive is some combination of dislike, disapproval or disgust at the notion that gay people should be allowed by society to live legally free from prejudice.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will join House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer to announce our Make it In America agenda, a legislative package that will help reinvigorate our manufacturing sector and grow American manufacturing jobs. These bills will help to put our country back to work by helping to create good-paying jobs, the kind of jobs that built the American middle class of this country. Earlier this year, I introduced one such proposal, the Make It In America Manufacturing Act, which establishes a competitive grant program that will help small- to medium-sized manufacturers retool their facilities and retrain their workers to compete in the 21st century. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has introduced a companion bill in the Senate that is cosponsored by Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse. These are the kinds of commonsense proposals that we need to support if we are going to get our economy back on the right track and get folks back to work. I urge my colleagues to support the Make It In America agenda, and I look forward to joining Whip Hoyer for his announcement this afternoon.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, today, April 9, is Equal Pay Day, the day on the calendar that marks more than 3 months into 2013 when women's wages finally catch up to what men earned in 2012. Nearly a half century after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women continue to face unfairness in the workplace. According to the American Association of University Women, in Rhode Island's First Congressional District, women working full time, year round, still make only 83 cents on the dollar compared to the average man. For all the progress that we've made in the fight for women's rights, the issue of pay equity continues to persist. That's why I'm proud to voice my strong support for the Paycheck Fairness Act, a commonsense bill that would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by providing effective remedies for women who are not paid equal wages for equal work. It's time for us to prioritize the long-term well-being of the Nation's hardworking women, many of whom are heads of households, and immediately pass this critical legislation to help ensure equality in the workplace.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, more than 4 months have passed since our country reelected President Obama and embraced his plans to keep moving our country forward. But right now, Republicans are offering a budget proposal that includes many of the same ideas that voters rejected this fall. The Republican budget would end the Medicare guarantee as we know it and repeal the Affordable Care Act that's already providing benefits to so many families in my home State of Rhode Island and across this country. Rhode Islanders don't want another Republican budget proposal that jeopardizes our economic recovery, gives away billions of dollars in tax subsidies to Big Oil, and protects tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. They want a budget that reflects our values and priorities as a Nation, a budget that honors the promises we made to our seniors, puts our country back to work, invests in rebuilding our national infrastructure, protects our investments in education, and reduces our deficit by making smart cuts in spending and reforming our Tax Code. The Republican budget fails to meet any of these standards, and I hope my colleagues will join me in opposing it this week.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the ranking member for yielding and thank him for his extraordinary leadership. Mr. Chairman, budgets should reflect our priorities and our values. It should protect American families by investing in education, infrastructure, science and research, clean energy, and housing. Budgets should be designed to grow our economy and get people back to work. This Republican budget does not reflect the values of our great Nation. It will hurt our economy and it will hurt the American people. As Yogi Berra said, ``It's deja vu all over again.'' More of the same. More tax cuts for the richest Americans, billions in subsidies for Big Oil, tax policies that benefit companies that ship American jobs overseas at the expense of the middle class and the working poor. As a reflection of our Nation's values, our Federal budget should honor the commitment we've made to our seniors; but this Republican proposal would end the guarantee as we know it, shifting rising health care costs to seniors. We should be educating our next generation of leaders to enter the workplace successfully, and we should be making meaningful and serious investments in rebuilding our Nation's crumbling infrastructure, our bridges, roads, and schools so it will put people back to work in well-paying middle class jobs that help support a family. But this budget makes deep cuts in rebuilding America and in education. According to the Center for American Progress, the Republican budget proposal on the floor today would cut $1.2 trillion from investments in education, science, and infrastructure, hurting our economy. And some have projected that it would result in the loss of 2 million jobs. The budget before us today does not reflect our values as a Nation. I urge my colleagues to vote against it and to support the Democratic alternative. It's a budget that really speaks to the highest ideals of America--the kind of America that will provide the best education for our kids, that will discover new cures for disease, that will develop new, clean energy sources, that is committed to rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and ports, and an America that honors our promise to our seniors and to our veterans. I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic alternative and vote against the Republican Ryan budget.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. I rise today in strong opposition to the so-called SKILLS Act, H.R. 803, a bill that would fail to live up to our responsibility to job seekers, businesses, and working men and women across our country. I served as mayor of the city of Providence for 8 years and saw closely what excellent workforce boards do in my home State. Right now, we should be doing everything we can to put our Nation back to work and offer assistance to folks who are struggling to find employment; but, unfortunately, this highly partisan bill does just the opposite. It would block-grant and effectively eliminate 35 programs, including programs that help dislocated workers, veterans, disabled workers, and other disadvantaged populations, putting these individuals at high risk of losing access to services. And even though funding for the Workforce Investment Act has been cut in half since 2001, this radical proposal would freeze investments in job training and other workforce investment services for 7 years. Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Tierney have offered a commonsense alternative that will create strategic partnerships with employers, community colleges, labor unions, and nonprofits to find new jobs and careers for working families. The Democratic alternative would expand the central role of community colleges in job training by authorizing $8 billion for President Obama's Community College to Career Fund to help community colleges recognize credentials so that students will graduate with job training that meets the needs of employers. It would also better serve high-poverty areas with effective services by creating innovation funds to expand the use of promising strategies for adults and young people. Ladies and gentlemen, our country is facing serious economic challenges, and we need a serious solution like that offered in the Workforce Investment Act. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 803 and support the Democratic alternative to enact real workforce reform that will put Americans back to work.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I visited Core Composites, a company located in Bristol in my home State of Rhode Island. Because of sequestration, this small business has been notified that funding for a government contract will be reduced by hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also recently met with Alexion, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Rhode Island, whose FDA approval of a lifesaving drug will likely be delayed because of sequestration. Countless other small businesses across our country are facing these same challenges today because Washington failed to take action to avoid sequestration. Sequestration isn't a solution to our Federal deficit; it's a penalty that goes into effect because Republicans and Democrats failed to work together to responsibly reduce the deficit. And it's a penalty that will place a heavy toll on hardworking men and women across our country. We spend a lot of time fighting in Washington. Now it's time for us to work together to reach a commonsense solution on this issue. Congressman Chris Van Hollen has offered a very detailed alternative to sequestration that I'm proud to cosponsor that would cut spending responsibly, repeal subsidies to Big Oil, adopt the Buffett rule, and preserve the Medicare guarantee for seniors. Rather than pointing fingers, we should be looking at this and other reasonable alternatives that would provide critical relief for working families right now.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, 2 weeks ago, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a strong, bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to extend much-needed protections to all women of domestic violence, including immigrants, Native Americans, and members of the LGBT community. Domestic violence victims and their families have waited far too long for the House to act to reauthorize VAWA and to provide victims of domestic violence with important resources to help end this violence. It's critical that we ensure that every single victim of domestic violence, no matter what they look like or where they come from or who they love, has access to these critical tools and resources. According to the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, one in four women will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime. Each year, 15 million American children are exposed to domestic violence and all the dangers of this violence. Have we really come to the point that we can't persuade every single Member of Congress that violence against all women is indefensible and that we have a moral responsibility to do everything in our power to stop it? Do we really want to say some women, some group of women, are not worthy of protection against such violence? I hope not. I urge my colleagues to pass the strengthened Senate version reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and to protect all American women from violence. American Psychological Association, February 4, 2013. Hon. Patrick Leahy, Chairman, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, DC. Hon. Mike Crapo, U.S. Senator, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Leahy and Senator Crapo: On behalf of the 137,000 members and affiliates of the American Psychological Association (APA), I am writing to thank you for your invaluable leadership in introducing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S. 47). As the legislative process advances, APA offers its full support of your efforts to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As you know, nearly one in four women in the United States reports experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life, and 15 million children live in families in which intimate partner violence has occurred within the past year. Domestic violence can result in significant mental and behavioral health consequences including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, relationship problems, diminished self-esteem, social isolation, substance use disorders, and suicidal behavior. VAWA programs can help to mitigate these negative outcomes by providing a vital link to services and supports for survivors and their families. APA applauds your commitment to protect survivors of intimate partner violence with a comprehensive VAWA reauthorization. In particular, we appreciate the inclusion of essential public health provisions to reauthorize and strengthen the health care system's identification, assessment, and response to violence, as well as provisions to protect vulnerable populations, including Native women, immigrants, and LGBT individuals. We welcome the opportunity to work with you to address these important issues. For further information, please contact Nida Corry, Ph.D., in our Public Interest Government Relations Office at (202) 336-5931 or ncorry@apa.org. Sincerely, Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, Ph.D., Executive Director, Public Interest Directorate.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, there's no doubt that we need to reduce the size of our deficit, but we have to do it in a responsible way and a way that protects American families. We need to do it in a balanced, forward-thinking way that protects our fragile recovery, continues growing jobs for middle class families, and invests in our long-term economic future. Sequestration isn't a solution. It's a penalty that will put our recovery in jeopardy and hurt working men and women in my home State of Rhode Island and all across this country. In the last few weeks, we've seen Members of this Chamber wringing their hands and pointing fingers in order to avoid blame for sequestration. It's time to focus on solutions. Our colleague, Mr. Van Hollen, has offered a proposal that will replace the meat-ax of sequestration with precise, carefully considered changes by enacting responsible cuts in spending, repealing subsidies to big oil companies, implementing the Buffett rule so middle class families don't pay a higher tax rate than millionaires and billionaires, and preserving the Medicare guarantee for our seniors. After so much conflict and division, let's work together to find an alternative that works for middle class families.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentlelady from California for yielding, and also for organizing this conversation about the dangers of gun violence and our responsibility to reduce gun violence in communities all across this country. I want to also acknowledge the leadership of the gentlelady from New York, Carolyn McCarthy, who long before I arrived here was an inspiration to me and so many others across the country who have been fighting for responsible gun safety legislation. Just to give a context to the problem we are confronting, the U.S. gun murder rate is about 20 times the average of other developed nations. What that means is someone in this country is about 20 times as likely to be killed by a gun as someone in another developed country. As some have already said, since the horrible, horrible killings, the murders of Newtown, 1,772 people have been killed by guns since that tragedy. According to the CDC, there are 11,078 firearm homicides that accounted for 68 percent of all homicides in 2010. These are just some numbers that I think give us an understanding of the seriousness of the problem that we face with gun violence in this country. It's an epidemic. I salute Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Mayor Menino and Mayor Bloomberg, who began that. I was a founding member. I salute the Brady Campaign for their work, but there are a couple of facts that are undeniable: Number one, the Second Amendment gives individuals the right to possess firearms, and the vast majority of gun owners are responsible and they possess firearms for their self-defense and their own protection. That's a fact. Two, there are certain categories of individuals that we all agree ought not have access to firearms--dangerous criminals, the seriously mentally ill, and children. So if we agree on those two facts--guns are permitted by the Constitution to be possessed by individuals, three categories of individuals at least ought not have access to those firearms--then we have a responsibility to design a system and pass laws that ensure that those three categories of individuals, in fact, don't have access to firearms; and we have the ability to do that by closing the gaping loopholes from private sales and from the fire sale that the gentlelady from California just referenced where, when your license to sell guns, your Federal license is revoked, that you're rewarded by having your entire inventory turned into a personal collection, and then you can sell it free from the constraints of background checks. We can fix the background check system, be sure that States are putting accurate information into the system. We can ban assault weapons, which are weapons of war which don't belong in the neighborhoods of our cities and towns, and high-capacity ammunition whose only purpose is to kill a great number of people in a very short period of time. We have these very reasonable, commonsense solutions which are available. Last night at the President's State of the Union, we had 30 victims who suffered the grievous impact of gun violence, who put a face on the devastation, the scourge of gun violence in this country. We owe it to them, we owe it to families all across this country to move on this legislation, to hold a vote up or down so we can take what most Americans support, responsible gun safety legislation to reduce gun violence in our country. When the gentlelady was just going through the examples of what the NRA has been successful in doing, let's not forget, the NRA doesn't have a vote in this Chamber, so every single one of those actions happened because individuals in Congress voted for them, and they should be accountable for that. And we can fix it by taking votes today to enhance public safety, to impose reasonable gun safety measures that will protect children and families all across this country and continue to honor the right of individuals to possess a firearm as guaranteed in the Second Amendment. I thank the gentlelady for her leadership and for yielding. This is an important issue. I'll end with The New York Times headline that said, ``Do we have the courage to stop this?'' talking about the carnage in Newtown and the courage that family members have displayed who have been victims of gun violence. If we can match that courage, Members of this House can match just 10 percent of the courage that they've demonstrated in sharing their stories, then we'll do the right thing and pass responsible gun safety legislation.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, last night President Obama outlined a bold vision for his second term in office and spoke about the number one issue facing our country: jobs. The President understands that if we want to get our country back on the right track, we have to invest in those areas that are essential to growing our economy and strengthening the middle class. With families all across America, and particularly in my home State of Rhode Island facing tremendous challenges, it's critical that our friends on the other side of the aisle put aside partisan gamesmanship and start working together on the commonsense goals that President Obama outlined: reinvigorating manufacturing; investing in our infrastructure; making education a priority; and developing new sources of clean energy, as well as a long-term strategy to deal with our debt. It's true that Republicans and Democrats have a choice. We can either work to find common ground and move our country forward as a whole, or we can continue the partisan fighting that has created gridlock in Washington. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find common ground and real solutions so we can put our country back to work and address the serious challenges facing our Nation.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, on the Legislative Day of February 5, 2013, upon request of a leave of absence, a series of votes were held. Had I been present for these rollcall votes, I would have cast the following votes: On Ordering the Previous Question for H. Res. 48, Providing for consideration of H.R. 444, to require that, if the President's fiscal year 2014 budget does not achieve balance in a fiscal year covered by such budget, the President shall submit a supplemental unified budget by April 1, 2013, which identifies a fiscal year in which balance is achieved, and for other purposes (rollcall No. 33)--I vote ``nay.'' On Agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. 48, Providing for consideration of H.R. 444, to require that, if the President's fiscal year 2014 budget does not achieve balance in a fiscal year covered by such budget, the President shall submit a supplemental unified budget by April 1, 2013, which identifies a fiscal year in which balance is achieved, and for other purposes (rollcall No. 34)--I vote ``no.''

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. The reauthorization of the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education program is critically important and something we must do. But I rise today to express some frustration with the bill as presented. Specifically, while our Nation faces an acute need for additional health professionals trained in psychiatry, this reauthorization continues a glaring mental health parity failure within the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education program: the failure to include children's psychiatric teaching hospitals in the program. Because Medicare classifies these hospitals as psychiatric hospitals rather than as children's hospitals, child psychiatric hospitals are ineligible to participate in CHGME. This presents a particular burden to a spectacular pediatric hospital in my district, Bradley Hospital. And that is why, last Congress, I introduced the Children's Hospitals Education Equity Act, which was designed to fix this oversight by simply expanding the definition of a children's hospital to cover child psychiatric hospitals. I'm disappointed, therefore, that the CHGME reauthorization is being considered under suspension of the rules today, as it prevents consideration of amendments to improve the program and to correct this omission in the bill. Our Nation must fulfill its commitment to mental health parity, and Congress must do its part to enhance access to child and adolescent mental health care. Despite this shortcoming, I intend to support the bill, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties and in both Chambers to correct this serious inequity. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that formally recognized a woman's right to make decisions regarding her own reproductive health care. On January 22, 1973, this monumental decision came as a result of decades of relentless activism and litigation on the part of great women advocates; but today, there are still those who would prefer to roll back these fundamental rights and turn the clock back on women's health care. We've seen them use the same tactics over and over again during the last 40 years. In fact, according to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 40 laws were passed to restrict access to abortion in 19 States just this past year. That's why, as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it is more important than ever to commit ourselves to protecting these basic rights and to ensure that women across our country have full control over their personal well-being and health and that they retain access to any health care services they require.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this Amendment. Regional Ocean Partnerships are supported through a NOAA competitive grants program first established by President Bush in 2004. As the representative from the Ocean State, I know how important this funding is in helping coastal states deal with a range of priorities-- including, coastal hazards resiliency to the impacts of major storms like Sandy. Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the coastline of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and the Northeast. The allocation for Regional Ocean Partnerships Grants will provide much needed funding to states affected by Hurricane Sandy--helping our coastal communities recover, be better prepared for future extreme weather events, and mitigate future risks. These measures will help our coastal communities in Rhode Island and throughout the impacted region to rebuild, save lives, and prevent future economic and property losses. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, all of us know that the 112th Congress was one of the least productive legislative sessions in our history. Even as our country faced significant challenges, partisan posturing and political brinksmanship dominated the debate in Washington and created an unprecedented level of gridlock that kept real work from getting done. As we begin the work of the 113th Congress, it is critical that both Democrats and Republicans commit to working with their colleagues across the aisle and putting the long-term interests of our country ahead of their own short-term political goals. That's why I have decided to join a group of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans in an organization called No Labels as a problem-solver which will meet regularly to build trust and cooperation between members of both parties and get Washington back to a place where Democrats and Republicans working together is the rule rather than the exception. We need leaders in Congress who are serious about finding solutions to the challenges we face both at home and abroad. I am convinced that there is no challenge so great that we cannot solve by working together, and No Labels is offering a venue for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to do exactly that. I urge my colleagues to join us in this effort.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, the 112th Congress has been defined as the least productive Congress in recent memory. And now we run the risk of being the Congress whose action will cause real harm to our country's economic future. The American people have consistently said they want Republicans and Democrats to act like adults and work together on the challenges we face. And yet here we are again, facing a critical financial deadline with no agreement in place to avert the so- called fiscal cliff and to protect seniors, middle class families, and business owners while we reduce our debt. There's just too much at stake right now for this Congress to keep playing the games of brinksmanship and partisan politics. Over the last 10 years, as I've met with Rhode Islanders from Woonsocket to Newport and everywhere in between, I've heard one clear message: now is the time for those of us who serve in this Chamber to get this hard work done on behalf of the men and women who sent us here. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to spend less time assigning blame to each other and instead pass a comprehensive plan that averts the fiscal cliff, cuts our debt, and protects middle class families, seniors, and small business owners.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, yesterday my office hosted the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and I met with families whose lives have been devastated by gun violence, families who lost loved ones in Columbine, at Virginia Tech, at Aurora, and in other incidents. No words of mine could ever match the pain that these families felt as a result of these losses. The recent tragedy in Newtown, unfortunately, is the most recent in a long series of mass killings involving guns. But this incident is especially horrific because it involved the slaughter of 20 innocent children and their teachers. This must mark a turning point in the debate over commonsense gun safety laws. It's critical for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to commit themselves to do everything we can to end this violence because commonsense gun laws aren't Democratic values or Republican values; they're American values. And if our values as Americans mean anything at all, then surely all Americans are entitled to enjoy their lives and live in neighborhoods that are safe and free from gun violence. There is lots of talk about a national conversation, beginning a dialogue. The time for talking is over. Now we must act: banning assault weapons and high-capacity assault clips, fixing our criminal background check system, and closing loopholes that allow 40 percent of gun sales to go forward without background checks.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for the courtesy of this time, and I thank my Republican colleagues, Congressman Chabot and Congresswoman Ellmers, for reaching across the aisle and working with us to introduce H.R. 6504, the Small Business Investment Company Modernization Act. Small businesses, our Nation's most effective job creators, have faced the brunt of the recession, and Congress needs to work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure our small firms are able to access private capital. One important tool that we have in our toolbox is the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, and today's bill will help keep the SBIC program a healthy and robust public-private partnership, providing vitally important capital to small businesses in my home State of Rhode Island and across this country. The SBIC program leverages private investment to provide greater capital to small businesses. Since its creation in 1958, the SBIC program has promoted more than $62.6 billion in financial assistance and made more than 164,000 investments in small businesses. In the past 2 years, SBICs supported more than 130,000 jobs. In the past 6 years, SBICs have invested more than $68 million in Rhode Island small businesses, including over $40 million in fiscal year 2011 alone. H.R. 6504 is a commonsense, bipartisan measure that raises the amount of leverage that a group of commonly-held, sound and successful small business investment companies, referred to as a family of funds, can access. The Small Business Investor Alliance estimates that increasing the leverage limit from $225 million to $350 million, which is achieved through this legislation, would facilitate approximately $500 million a year in new small business investment. This is legislation that does not require an additional appropriation of funding and was outlined as part of President Obama's Startup America Initiative, and the bill is supported by the Chamber of Commerce. I'm proud to join with my colleagues across the aisle to support this bill, which will strengthen the SBIC program, enhancing this public- private partnership and the flow of investment to promising small businesses.