Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Mental Health Care for Our Wounded Warriors Act of 2007. This important legislation will address the significant mental health care issues faced by our brave service men and women. According to recent reports from the Government Accountability Office, 22 percent of returning OEF/OIF service members were referred for further mental health evaluations for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an estimated one in six service members will receive a diagnosis of PTSD. As a member of the Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, I have been working hard to understand how mental health issues, especially PTSD, are affecting our service men and women. We know that PTSD and TBI are the signature injuries of this war. Unfortunately, the DoD has neither the facilities nor the personnel to meet the needs of returning service members with mental health care diagnoses. We have no research clearinghouse to study and facilitate mental health services and develop effective mental health care policies. The Mental Health for Our Wounded Warriors Act, a companion to legislation introduced by Senator Lieberman, will establish Centers of Excellence within the DoD to research strategies to prevent, identify and treat combat related mental health injuries. Equally as important, each center will seek to develop strategies to counter the stigma that surrounds PTSD and mental health in general in the military. The bill will also include language on treating mental health professionals who are exposed to combat related stress, as well as study the unique needs of female service members serving in combat situations. The military needs help dealing with this very complex issue. We cannot expect our service members to go out and do the job they do without providing adequate mental health services we know they will need. The battle against combat-related mental health injuries will be an ongoing issue. It is our obligation to provide the resources necessary to address the absence of a designated center to study the mental health care needs of service members and to provide a solution to the shortage of DoD mental health professionals.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation strengthening the link between high-quality mentoring and public education in the United States. The Mentoring America's Children Act of 2007 will improve upon the current efforts to match high-quality and responsible mentors with children in need of a strong role model. In 2002, the U.S. Department of Education began granting funding directly to community organizations and schools to establish or expand mentoring opportunities. Since then, over $200 million has been allocated contributing to a 20 percent increase in the number of children benefiting from a mentor. The Mentoring America's Children Act sets out to expand and build upon this success. By increasing the availability and quality of the grants available through the Department of Education, the mentoring program will reach more children in need while enhancing quality. The bill will also tie mentoring programs funding more closely with the important role mentors can play in improving a young person's academic standing and the learning environment. The legislation would broaden the reach of mentoring to include a number of specific populations of young people who could benefit from a strong role model. Finally, the legislation also authorizes the Department of Education to conduct high-quality research into successful school-based mentoring programs. Through this research, plus improved data collection and tracking, we will better understand the impact of mentoring and can continue to refine program practices to best meet the needs of children. Mentoring is a critical element in a child's social, cognitive and emotional development. When it comes to education, a healthy relationship with a mentor plays a key role in improving the learning environment for a young person. Students with a responsible mentor have better attendance and are more connected to their school, schoolwork, and teachers. They perform better in school and are more likely to graduate and go on to higher education. It is an honor to introduce this legislation with a number of my colleagues on the House Mentoring Caucus and others dedicated to the noble cause of mentoring. It was also an honor to work directly with the MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the National Collaboration for Youth to develop this legislation. Madam Speaker, I urge consideration of this legislation.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 152, and I take pride in joining my colleagues to congratulate the citizens of Israel on this important anniversary, as well as commending Jordan and Egypt for making peace with their neighbor. The anniversary marks the 40th year that the ancient and historic city has been administered as a unified city in which the rights of all faiths have been respected. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that having worked in Jerusalem in 1965, I experienced that time when in fact people could not travel to all of Jerusalem, and in fact we know that that is very different today. It is also important that we use this anniversary to highlight the work that still needs to be done. The historic victory by the Israeli military greatly expanded Israel's territory, but with territorial gains came new problems. These unresolved issues have led to ever- increasing tensions that today manifest themselves in the form of Qassam rocket attacks and military insurgents. As we debate this resolution today, the region, as we know, finds itself in dire conflict. Earlier this year, I introduced a resolution calling on President Bush to dispatch a new special envoy to the Middle East to capitalize on every opportunity for progress. Mr. Speaker, the United States must be the leader in promoting peace. The current situation is simply unsustainable. So as we look back 40 years today, let us also look 40 years ahead. Let us look 40 years ahead and work toward a future, not fraught with conflict and strife, but coexistence, moderation and understanding. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and continue to push for peace.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Tom Fat, a dedicated civic leader in San Diego. Tom passed away on May 17, 2007 and is survived by his wife Jenny, daughter Monica, sisters Jean Ann Lai and Mable Moffatt of Sacramento, brothers Dr. Kenneth Fat and Jerry Fat of Sacramento, and two grandchildren. Tom was born in 1940 and grew up working in the family restaurant in Sacramento, California. The Fat City chain is anchored by Frank Fat's, which became a hangout for politicians and lobbyists in our State's capital. At an early age his father, Frank Fat, instilled in him and his siblings a strong work ethic and commitment to civic involvement. Tom graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in business, attained a law degree from Hastings School of Law and received his master's of law in taxation at New York University. He also served for 3 years as a captain in the U.S. Army. After practicing law in Los Angeles for a few years, Tom joined his family in Sacramento to help operate their successful restaurant business. In 1976 Tom visited San Diego to research business opportunities and moved there the following year to operate China Camp, which fused Chinese cuisine with Western style cooking, and Frank Fat's, which was renamed Fat City Steakhouse--still a popular place for local government leaders to come together. The success of Tom's restaurants assisted in the growth and development of downtown San Diego and the revival of the Little Italy community, which helped to link the area between San Diego International Airport and the city center. Not only was Tom's entrepreneurship inspiring to all those around him, but his civic leadership was truly commendable. As an avid community leader, Tom served as the Chairman of the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, President of the San Diego Restaurant Association, Director of the San Diego Film Commission and as a member of the Little Italy Association. He worked in the Asian Pacific Islander community to mentor youth to encourage their participation in civic affairs and the political process. Tom developed strong relationships with political leaders of both parties and built a reputation as a consensus builder on many local issues. Tom is best remembered for his humanitarian efforts and his enthusiasm as a tireless advocate for San Diego. His carefree nature and long white hair made him stand out in a crowd. Although he is gone now, Tom left an inspiring legacy for entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and youth in our community. I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Tom Fat's family and honor his life and contributions to the San Diego community. He was admired by so many people for so many reasons, and the impact he had on San Diego will stay alive in the many positive changes he helped to achieve and the memories of him which we will never forget. He will be greatly missed. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to honor such a remarkable individual.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1585. This legislation recognizes the extraordinary efforts by our servicemembers and makes great strides towards resetting our force and ensuring our overall readiness. However, it is only the beginning. We know that part of readiness is having a military health care system that understands the strains on our force and is capable of handling the mental health needs of our servicemembers both at home and abroad. If we are going to deploy our men and women at the current pace, we must, we must, make sure we understand the consequences of our policy decisions. We must prepare our troops for the stress of service in theater. I agree with General Petraeus, who recently spoke in favor of redoubling our education efforts to identify potentials for abuse among our servicemembers. The recent Army study indicating tolerance of torture among some of our troops shows why we need to do more. Through mental health provisions in this bill, Congress has begun to ask important questions, important questions about the results of war and developing best practices for identifying and treating combat- related stress disorders. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill to provide free postage for absentee or mail-in ballots in federal elections. Since voter participation rates are shockingly low in this nation where we pride ourselves on our democracy, our leaders must do all we can to encourage voter turnout and remove obstacles. We know that not everyone can make it to the polls on Election Day and we know that some voters prefer to vote from home because they have more time to review their options and do not want to wait in line to vote. While only 6 percent of voters used the vote by mail option in 1979, that number has risen to around 40 percent in areas where voters can vote by mail for any reason such as in my district in San Diego. In our fast-paced hectic society, voting by mail is an option that works for many people. We need to make voting by mail as convenient as possible. Making ballots postage free is a step in that direction. The price of a stamp is not a burden for many people though it certainly is for some. For these people, adding a stamp to a ballot is a sort of poll tax and that is wrong. For those for whom a stamp is affordable, it is not always easy to acquire a stamp or to know how much postage to put on an odd-sized ballot envelope. In fact, a postal employee even told me she drives around with her own mail in her truck for days because she can't find the time to weigh it and buy stamps. With election deadlines, voters do not have time to wait until they can stop to pick up stamps. They should be able to vote and put their ballots in any mailbox without worrying about finding the right amount of postage. We must also realize that providing postage for mail-in ballots does not come at tremendous cost to the federal government. Postage for ballots is managed in bulk making them eligible business reply rates which cost less than individual first class pieces. But more importantly, each voter need not figure out how much postage to put on. It is hard to give an exact cost estimate of this bill since the number of mail-in voters varies election to election. However, if the federal government paid for the mail-in ballots in the 2004 election, the cost would have been around $23 million. That is a small price to pay when you compare it with the billions we are spending on election machines and other costs. In Congress, we have become accustomed to sending mail out with just the frank. We don't worry about having the proper postage. Shouldn't we share that privilege with the voters? Creating postage-paid mail-in ballots is just one of the three major improvements we can make to mail-in voting. The others are allowing no- excuse absentee voting and implementing a ballot tracking system similar to that which we use for overnight packages. I have introduced legislation addressing these other areas as well. If voters could vote by mail for any reason and know that they could just toss their ballots in any mailbox without having to worry about postage and if they knew they could track the progress of their ballot, more voters would vote by mail, the strain at the polls would be less and I suspect voter turnout would increase dramatically.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I want to express my strong support for the Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act, H.R. 1678. This important legislation funds treatment centers for torture survivors who now live in the U.S. With help, torture survivors can recover from their trauma, rebuild successful lives, and be contributing members of our society. When these new Americans rebuild their lives, we all have much to gain. I also want to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of Survivors of Torture, International (SURVIVORS) in my district of San Diego, California. SURVIVORS is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for survivors of politically-motivated torture and their families living in San Diego County. Approximately 11,000 torture survivors are living in San Diego County today. These survivors are from countries where the systematic use of torture is documented, including nations in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Since its founding in 1997, SURVIVORS has helped more than 650 torture survivors from more than 50 countries to recover from their trauma through a holistic program including medical, dental, psychiatric, psychological, legal and social services. There is also a need to continue to make services even more comprehensive. SURVIVORS empowers torture survivors to reclaim the strength and vitality that were stolen from them by brutal dictators and governments. The specialized care SURVIVORS provides these vulnerable individuals helps them to become self-sufficient, healthy members of their own families and of our community. SURVIVORS currently serves more than 300 survivors of torture and their families living in San Diego County. SURVIVORS works with refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, and immigrants who are survivors of torture. By working with this large population in San Diego County, SURVIVORS is strengthening the Nation: many of its clients move to other communities in the United States after receiving the care and services necessary to successfully build a new life here. As SURVIVORS continues to work in the community, it receives an increasing number of referrals and requests for services each year. The professional backgrounds of SURVIVORS' clients include: business, religious, government, and farm leaders; university students and educators; journalists; physicians and nurses. The significant majority of SURVIVORS clients suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, or both. These are normal yet disabling reactions for ordinary people who have endured the extreme trauma of torture. Madam Speaker, the TVRRA also authorizes a contribution to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT). Funding from the U.N. helps many centers feel more secure in the dangerous work of aiding those that a regime has identified as its enemies. The UNVFVT supports nearly 200 treatment programs all over the world, including nearly all U.S. centers. H.R. 1678 is a vital piece of legislation which funds essential services for survivors of torture throughout the 53rd District of California and San Diego County, and enhances the standing and reputation by exporting America's values in the form of support for foreign treatment centers. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill that is so important to so many.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my deep sadness at the passing of my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, a dedicated public servant, who worked tirelessly on behalf of her constituents and her country. I had the privilege to serve with Congresswoman Millender-McDonald on the House Administration Committee and also previously in the California State Assembly, and can attest to the passion, dignity, and grace she brought to her work. Juanita Millender-McDonald devoted much of her life to public service. In her career she was an educator and an advisor, a member of Carson's City Council, a California State assemblywoman and finally a Member of Congress. Congresswoman Millender-McDonald's passion and drive were unmatched. She was an unwavering advocate for minority rights. She was a champion of women's health issues. She was an adamant opponent of the genocide in Darfur. And she was committed to securing election reform and security for our Nation's ports. I admired Congresswoman Millender-McDonald's leadership and fervor in her many roles: as community leader, Member of Congress, and Chairwoman. All those who knew her and worked with her know the void she leaves with her passing. I extend my heartfelt condolences to her husband, James, her children and her grandchildren. She will be missed.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1591. On May 1, 2003, on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego, President Bush announced to the American public and the world that the mission in Iraq had been accomplished. Now, nearly 4 years later, our military is still deeply involved in Iraq--with no end in sight. This spending measure puts pressure on the Iraqi government to follow through on their political and security promises and ensures that our government will take the necessary steps to scale down our military involvement in Iraq. In fact, it actually gives the Iraqis the leverage they need to push the agenda beyond a military solution. This legislation may not be the preferred way to end this conflict, but not one good choice remains. Up until now, Congress has been AWOL in its oversight responsibility. As a result, our military readiness has suffered. Without this legislation, the readiness and strength of United States military will continue to degrade. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I cannot sit idly by and watch our Army and our National Guard be stretched to the brink. Nor can we tolerate the strategic risk posed by devoting so much of our military's time, training and equipment to the conflict in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, without this legislation, the administration will not be held accountable to achieve progress and success. Now is the time to exert oversight of this conflict and make the difficult, but necessary choice of establishing requirements and expectations. From the deck of the U.S.S. Lincoln President Bush said, ``Other nations in history have fought in foreign lands and remained to occupy and exploit. Americans, following a battle, want nothing more than to return home.'' Mr. Speaker, Americans have bravely fought for 4 years to protect the United States and bring hope to the people of Iraq. For the sake of our military readiness, international credibility and safety of Americans in harm's way in Iraq, it is time to make plans to bring them home. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take a hard look at where we are today in Iraq, and vote for legislation that will provide the funding our troops badly need and accountability for success and results in Iraq.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Vote by Mail Act of 2007--a bill to provide grants to states to help them offset the costs of adopting Vote by Mail election systems and to study the benefits of those Vote by Mail election systems. While I love the ritual of going to the polls to vote, I know that getting to the polls on Election Day is often difficult. For some, it's impossible. And for some elections, it simply does not make sense to open the polls. That is why I have introduced a bill that builds upon the growing trend of states to bring the polls to the voters. I believe we should try to meet our constituents halfway by increasing access to the electoral process. Oregon, the only State to adopt Vote by Mail, historically has one of the highest voter participation rates in the country. Oregon has also dramatically decreased its costs. Under current law, certain States and jurisdictions may conduct certain elections by mail but only under limited circumstances and they are not given Federal funding to make that adjustment to vote by mail. This bill would help States who want to conduct Vote by Mail elections by creating an $18 million, 3-year grant program to provide a portion of the funds they need. Under this bill, States would have the option of adopting Vote by Mail statewide, within a group of selected counties, or even in a single county. Further, this bill instructs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a very important study. With the popularity of Vote by Mail increasing dramatically, it is crucial that we invest in some valuable research to learn about its benefits, find remedies for any problems and share best practices. This bill will instruct the GAO to compare traditional voting methods with Vote by Mail with respect to: the likelihood of fraud and misconduct; the accuracy of voter rolls and election results; voter participation in urban and rural communities and by minorities, language minorities, individuals with disabilities, individuals who are homeless, and individuals who move frequently; residual vote rates, broken out by voter age, education, income, race, or ethnicity or whether a voter lives in an urban or rural community, is disabled, or is a language minority; public confidence in the election system; and cost savings. As the former president of the League of Women Voters of San Diego, I care deeply about the integrity of our electoral system and the rate of participation among our citizens. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this effort to strengthen the democratic process and give elections officials and voters the options and support they deserve.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Mail-In Ballot Tracking Act of 2007--a bill to implement procedures for tracking the growing number of ballots in States throughout the country that are transmitted through the mail. Although voters across the Nation are increasingly choosing to cast their ballots by mail because it is more convenient and they have more time to study their choices, many voters have been hesitant to do so because, quite frankly, they are worried that they cannot determine for certain where their mail ballots are in the system and whether they were actually received and counted. In most cases, the fears of one's mail-in ballot somehow being lost in the system are unfounded--but we all know the fear is still there. Our Nation's voters deserve electoral procedures that are transparent and which strengthen their faith in democracy. Sometimes there is reason for concern. I have heard horror stories from people who simply did not receive a ballot they requested. Other voters have called their overwhelmed elections offices and waited on hold for too long trying to find out whether their ballot has been mailed or received. Even when they get to speak with an informed elections official, that official often cannot tell the voter where the ballot is because it is somewhere in the postal system. The good news is that it is possible and practical to track mail ballots. We have been tracking the process of overnight packages for years by using the Internet and the telephone. There is no reason why we cannot track ballots using similar technology. In fact, some jurisdictions such as San Mateo County, CA are already tracking ballots with great success. The United States Postal Service is currently introducing an ``Intelligent Mail'' system which, if applied to election mail, will allow voters to find out via the Internet or the telephone which postal processing facility last handled their ballots and when they were handled there. Quite simply, the technology will soon exist to seamlessly track ballots from the time they are sent out from the appropriate elections office to the time they are received back and include all the key postal points along the way. Implementing ballot tracking systems will bring voters peace of mind and reduce the burden on elections offices which are often barraged with phone calls from voters trying to determine the status of their ballots. This legislation will also allow a voter to know whether his or her ballot passed the verification stage and will be counted. Not only is mail ballot tracking feasible and helpful, but it is also affordable. Setting up systems at an elections office can be as simple as redesigning a website. Adding barcodes to envelopes already going through the postal process can cost tiny fractions of a penny per piece. Purchasing any additional scanning or telephone equipment is also relatively inexpensive for election technology. Mail ballot tracking could even help elections offices save money in the long run as call volumes will likely go down and the strain on staff declines. Mail ballot tracking is a win-win for all. I believe it will increase voter participation as it increases peace of mind. We should follow the lead of the trailblazers who are already tracking mail ballots and ensure this level of security, transparency, and accountability to all voters who either choose to vote by mail or who live in one of the growing number of localities holding all-mail elections. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this effort to strengthen the democratic process and give American voters the electoral certainty they deserve.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 66, which authorizes the use of the Capitol rotunda for a ceremony on April 19, 2007, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust. The United States Holocaust Memorial Council is entrusted with observing the Days of Remembrance. These Days of Remembrance and the solemn ceremony at the Capitol set the manner in which similar events across our country pay homage to the 6 million people who lost their lives during one of mankind's darkest periods in history. When World War II ended in 1945, 6 million European Jews were dead, including more than 1 million Jewish children. While all Jews were marked for death, children were among the most defenseless. This year, the Holocaust Memorial Council, which oversees the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and organizes the annual Days of Remembrance, has selected ``Children in Crisis: Voices from the Holocaust'' as its theme. In any day and age, among the most vulnerable targets are children, and most often they are the first victims of senseless deeds. The children of the Holocaust endured lives filled with fear and suffering. The emotional and physical cruelty forced upon them is unimaginable. It is estimated that over 1 million, and as many as 1.5 million, Jewish boys and girls were murdered under Nazi rule in Germany and occupied Europe. These children were murdered because they were Jewish, not because of any action they had taken; not because of any crime they had committed, but simply because of their religion and their ethnicity. Mr. Speaker, I believe that a number of the Members have been to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, and I have an enduring image there of the children, the stars which represent them, the luminaries which hang from the ceiling, those tens of thousands of luminaries which remind us all of this overwhelming reason for us to remember these children. Many children of the Holocaust were confronted by overpowering and destructive forces, separated from their parents and coerced into hiding. Children who found themselves hiding in the shadows were faced with unyielding hardships, and some were subjected to dark, cramped conditions for weeks, for months and even years, while others wandered from place to place seeking refuge, never knowing who to trust. For those who survived, the end of the war was rarely the end of the struggle. Many children found themselves alone, with no family to be reunited with. The devastating and heart-wrenching reality was that there were no surviving family members, and they would now face the future without parents, grandparents or siblings. So, as we stop to reflect on this heinous event, let it serve as a reminder that there is no room for prejudice, oppression and hatred. As American and world citizens, it is important that succeeding generations are called upon to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and the similarities in the hate crimes we see today. The will of the human spirit indeed is unwavering in the face of adversity, and history has shown us that in times of despair, humanity prevails and always looks towards a brighter future. There is no better place than the United States Capitol rotunda to embody the reverence and dignity so deserving and honoring the victims of the Holocaust, especially the children. The United States Capitol has stood as a symbol of freedom and liberty and a symbol of hopes and dreams. It is important, Mr. Speaker, that we use the rotunda, the scene of so many historic events, to draw attention again to one of the immense tragedies in human history and to take this time also to honor our colleagues who were personally victimized by the Holocaust or whose families suffered and died, and to pledge anew that such a atrocities must not be permitted to occur. We recall the words, ``never again, never again.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on this concurrent resolution.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 66) permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 1119, the Purple Heart Family Equity Act. I am pleased to introduce this legislation along with my distinguished colleagues Congressman Roy Blunt and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx. We seek to fully honor the women of the Armed Forces who have won the Purple Heart defending our great freedoms and their families. The Purple Heart, Madam Speaker, is a military decoration awarded to service members who have been wounded or killed while serving with the U.S. military. Modeled after the Badge of Military Merit given by George Washington to members of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, the Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration currently in use and was the first to be made available to every service member. It is time we built upon the great traditions of the Purple Heart and fully recognize the women who have received this high honor. Surely, their wounds and sacrifices are just as meaningful. Male members of the Order are allowed to invite their wives to join with limited membership benefits, according to the current Federal Charter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. But female members are not allowed to invite their husbands. Surely, we here in this Chamber are not in the business of extending rights to our brave men who receive this award but not our brave women. I stand here today to urge my colleagues to support the Purple Heart Family Equity Act. This bill will update the Federal Charter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart to allow husbands of female members of the Order to become Associate Members. The first women to be awarded the Purple Heart was 1LT Annie G. Fox. She was awarded this distinction in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor where she made the ultimate sacrifice for her country. It has been 66 years and it is time we acted to fully honor the courageous women who are bestowed with the Purple Heart. Let us honor the memory of First Lieutenant Fox and the countless other women who have made unimaginable sacrifices for all of us by voting yes on H.R. 1119.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle, because in many ways he has really made the case for us. The argument on his side has been that we can't just use our military, the tools that they bring us, the great treasure that we have in them. We cannot solely look to them. And I think our great consternation over this war has been that we have not used our political, our economic and our diplomatic tools to represent the great Nation that we are. I have to tell my colleague that I was really saddened when the veterans of my community asked me, and I have asked our generals and I have asked the President, are we in fact a military at war and not a Nation at war? The generals told me that we are a military at war. I think the President disagreed with that. But the reality is that we have not brought our Nation to this effort in the way that I think is appropriate to have done. And so when we talk about the strategic risks that are there, when we talk about the fact that we need to understand those risks, we are doing it in a context that we know that when we went to this war, we didn't properly assess those risks. We failed to do that, and we can't fail to do that any longer. So what we bring to the table and what we bring to this discussion and this debate, and I think it has been a good debate, Mr. Speaker, is I think it is important, as a lot of my colleagues have said on both sides of the aisle, that we represent the people of our community. I often go into schools and talk to students about what representation means and tell them that it would be really impossible to take their entire class to Washington and have everybody there to speak on the floor of the House. Well, we are honored, and I know that my colleague is too, to be in the House, to be able to make those presentations, and we do it for people who actually sometimes disagree with us as well as agree with us. But it is important that we do that. I think what we bring to this debate is to try and understand what these strategic risks are today. You made my case, and I appreciate that, because there are many conflicts, and we need to understand them. That is why only focusing on a troop escalation, which isn't 20,000 troops, Mr. Speaker, we know there are probably another 15,000 in support troops, and those 15,000 troops, which are there for support of combat troops, sometimes get in the way. We know that, and we know we have had many deaths from our support troops as well. So we need to think about this as a much larger troop escalation. But the reality is we need to utilize all of our other tools, and we want to put the pressure on our country, on this administration, on the Iraqi people and its government and all of our friends around the world to help us and step up to the plate; not to just rely on our military, not to just rely on our treasure. We believe that is essential to make the statement. So I want to close, Mr. Speaker, by saying that this has been a good debate. It will continue. It will continue into tomorrow. Then Members will have an opportunity to vote and to let their constituents know how and why they chose to do that.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time remains on both sides.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just wanted to mention to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that it is concern for our allies in the region, it is concern for our friends there that we have chosen and speak to escalating our diplomatic efforts in the area that this resolution comes forward. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am now very happy to yield 5\1/4\ minutes to my colleague from Maine, Mr. Michaud.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords).