Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, as I know that she has been very involved in developing democracies and working with women.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). I want to thank him for all of his support as well. (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank Mr. McKeon for his leadership and for his remarks this morning because this has been a bipartisan trip, and I can say that we have many hours together on these trips. To experience it with the Afghan women and with our female troops particularly has been an incredible experience. And I particularly enjoy the support and the collegiality of my colleagues that Mr. McKeon referenced. It really has been very meaningful to all of us, and I look forward to continuing trips. I now want to yield 3 minutes to Ms. Tsongas of Massachusetts. Ms. Tsongas has been with us on those trips, and I know she will share some of her experiences, as well.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to instruct at the desk.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Five years ago, I led a congressional delegation of female Members to Afghanistan on Mother's Day to visit our troops and meet with Afghan women, and I've continued to participate in this trip every year since. On that first trip, we flew to Qalat in the southwestern region of Afghanistan and met the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the women of the village they worked with. Like much of Afghanistan, Qalat is rural and impoverished. The women we met had the same aspirations of women across the globe: they seek to send their children to school and a learn a trade in order to support themselves and their family. During that first visit in 2008, the school headmaster told us stories of how acid was thrown into the faces of several female students who attended the school. These young girls overcame enormous challenges in coming to school every day, but their desire to learn surmounted the obstacles they faced. And there, just like at home, we heard these young girls talk of being doctors and teachers and anything else that they could dream of. Each year, we have continued to visit the women of Qalat, and their message remains clear and consistent: they need security for themselves and their families if they are going to succeed. During these visits, we have seen slow but steady progress being made as security in the area has improved. This year, during our visit, instead of talking about wanting the kids to come to school and being fearful that their parents would keep them at home, the school headmaster spoke about the 4,000 students who are coming to school each day and the need for additional desks and supplies. What a tremendous turnaround in such a short period of time. But, Mr. Speaker, steep challenges remain for women in Afghanistan. Security, especially for women, has been at the heart of the problem that needs to be addressed as we transition responsibility to Afghan forces. Just this week, we had a reminder of those security concerns. On Monday, the Director of Women's Affairs was killed in the Laghman province. She replaced the previous director, who was also assassinated just 6 months ago. It is heartbreaking to hear of these female leaders being assassinated in an area that is trying so hard to move their people and their country forward. A country cannot disenfranchise nearly 50 percent of their population while seeking to achieve a strong prosperous economy. The language included in the Senate bill is a step in the right direction. So many organizations have been active in the transformation of Afghanistan, and I would encourage my colleagues at the Department of Defense and the Department of State to ensure that this is a multi- pronged effort. We must involve all the entities, not only here in the United States and Afghanistan, but also in Pakistan and India, where women there understand the daily challenges that Afghan women face, and create opportunities for these groups to work together. It is the least that we can do to support the women of Afghanistan and leave their country with a sustainable path for stability. But, Mr. Speaker, this is more than the security of women and their ability to prosper in Afghanistan. It is also about our military servicemembers. Women on Provincial Reconstruction Teams have worked hard to help the women of Afghanistan, and members of the Female Engagement Teams have been tremendous role models for young Afghan children. Our brave military men and women have sacrificed so much in Afghanistan, and to leave without the ability for continued security there would be a dishonor to all those who have served. We must ensure that the strides Afghan women and girls have achieved over the last decade do not erode. Next year, I hope to visit Afghanistan again on Mother's Day. And I want to tell the women we meet with--again, the same group of women we have met with over the last number of years--that their security is important and that this Congress recognizes that importance. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this motion to instruct the House conferees and accept this language. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee), who has also been an extremely strong leader on this topic.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield the gentlelady an additional minute.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich). I want to thank him for his outspokenness and for his strong belief in peace and in the role that women play in those initiatives. (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky). I want to thank her, as well, for her bold leadership in preparing women for democracy.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just wanted to acknowledge and thank my colleague, Mrs. Biggert, because she co-led with me that first trip we took to Afghanistan, to Zabul province, and we had that opportunity to observe women who had very, very incredibly difficult lives and yet were as aspirational as so many women that we meet every day. I wanted to acknowledge her for that leadership. I now yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) and thank her for her leadership as well.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, as I said, I'm certainly prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to again thank my colleague for his kind words. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of this and to have worked with our female troops, all of our troops, of course, in Afghanistan, but to see the difference that they're making. There is an approach that they have, and it seems to work. They are able to bring people along and actually make the situation safer for the families and the community in which they are serving. I want to thank everyone who spoke today, and I also certainly want to thank everyone who has traveled on this particular trip. This is an important motion to instruct. It defines something just as basic as ensuring the mobility of women within their own country. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the anti- immigration bill brought before us today. The supporters of this legislation would have you believe that immigration is a zero sum game--that for every door you open for one person you have to close it on another. That's what this bill aims to do by increasing the number of visas for STEM graduates while eliminating them from the Diversity Visa Program. This troubling precedent of creating visa offsets will foreclose the promise of the American Dream for countless immigrants. Our country remains the beacon of opportunity and freedom. For many, the only path to getting here is through the diversity program. People like Yulia, who is a constituent of mine, that lucky draw in the lottery was her best hope for coming to America from Kazakhstan. It is irresponsible, Mr. Speaker, to hold the much-needed--and I would say we need it--STEM visa bill hostage just to dismantle a program that has helped new Americans like Yulia. It's bad policy, and I urge my colleagues to reject the bill.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. Hispanic Serving Institutions are colleges and universities that are working to keep the dream of college education alive for Hispanic students. I'm pleased that a college in my district, San Diego State University, was named a Hispanic Serving Institution this year, making it only the third public research university in California to receive that designation. SDSU is number one in the nation for improvements in college graduation rates over the past 6 years. Even more remarkable is that it has done this while dramatically increasing graduating rates for students of color, and virtually closing the achievement gap! I commend SDSU and other Hispanic Serving Institutions that are bringing greater equity to higher education, preparing our young adults for the workforce of the future, and strengthening America's economic competitiveness.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, last week the San Diego Chamber of Commerce sent its largest ever delegation of community and business leaders to Washington. They came because they know Washington can help them spur the economy, innovate, and employ local workers if we can all get on the same page. What grand request did they have for this Congress to help make progress happen? Well, just that we do our job: that we roll up our sleeves, work together across party lines, and find a sensible, not an arbitrary, balance of cuts and spending. Yes, Mr. Speaker, this country is facing some hard choices, and, yes, there is division in this Chamber, but we do not need to add to the serious challenges facing American businesses and families by sitting on the sidelines watching a completely manmade disaster explode upon our economy. Let's work together to come to decisions now. The American economy should not be facing a fiscal cliff; it should be receiving a fiscal roadmap. By actually doing our jobs, we can make the jobs of our hardworking constituents a little easier. Our job is not done, Mr. Speaker. Cancel the congressional recess.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, San Diegans are very sad today because they learned yesterday that two of the Libya victims were from the San Diego area. As we know, they were killed in the consulate in Benghazi, protecting fellow Americans there with Ambassador Chris Stevens and Sean Smith. The two victims from San Diego were Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. In talking about Mr. Doherty, a friend said: You never take off your uniform. You hang it in the closet, but everything that went along with it is still there. All the training and the dedication that you have to your Nation is what drives these guys. And also for Tyrone Woods, a friend said: If there were more people like him, the country would be in much better shape. We need people to keep doing what he was doing because he really believed in freedom, and he really believed in the United States. As we know, these were two highly decorated military SEALs who had left the community of SEALs and were serving with the consulate there and with the State Department in Libya. We certainly celebrate their life and we mourn their death. I want to recognize their families and let them know that our thoughts and our prayers are with them.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Thank you. I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 1410 and also for H. Res. 484. This bill and resolution really embody a great concern of many of my constituents at home as well as of Americans across this country. As Americans, we often take for granted the rights and privileges that are guaranteed to each and every individual in this country. We can speak out at town halls, and we can protest in front of the Capitol steps. When all else fails, we can register our votes at the polls to make our voices heard. Those rights and privileges that we enjoy are being denied every single day to the people of Vietnam. So, today, we vote on this bill and this resolution in order to send a clear message that these abuses will not be tolerated. We must make it clear that progress needs to be made on these issues before we can move forward on other issues that are important to both of our countries, including the issue of trade. Our efforts are aimed at bringing about a brighter future in Vietnam where citizens are not in prison for the songs they write and where individuals are not arrested for carrying books on nonviolent resistance. It's sad, but these remain to be the facts of life for the people of Vietnam. In the words of one of my constituents, We can make a difference if we come together. Let's start by voting ``yes'' on H.R. 1410 and also on the resolution that we will next be talking about, H. Res. 484.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute today to the Women PeaceMakers Program at the University of San Diego, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The award-winning Women PeaceMakers Program, which is based at the university's Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, IPJ, documents the stories and practices of international women leaders who are involved in human rights and peacemaking efforts in their home countries. It was founded on the idea that history is rarely recorded from women's perspectives, especially women on the frontlines of efforts to end violence and secure peace. In 2011, the power of such documentation was confirmed when three women received the Nobel Peace Prize. One was Leymah Gbowee, whose story of pushing for peace in Liberia might have been forgotten if not for the documentary ``Pray the Devil Back to Hell.'' Similarly, the Women PeaceMakers Program in San Diego records the stories that are overlooked or neglected in the media and in history books. To date, the program has documented the stories of 35 Women PeaceMakers from 30 countries. This year it has selected four more women, from Colombia, Kenya, Nepal and the Solomon Islands, to reside for two months on the campus of the University of San Diego and have their stories recorded by professional writers and a documentary film team. The location of the university, overlooking San Diego's Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is an idyllic one for rest and reflection for women who often face violence on a daily basis, and who must struggle for space and security to do their work for peace. The process of reflection that the women undertake as they share their stories, contemplating their motivation to become leaders, and why the initiatives they developed were successful teaches them how to be more effective peacebuilders when they return to their countries. It is not only the professional writers, however, who get to hear the women's stories and learn of their methods of building peace. Members of the local community, as well as students and professors at the University of San Diego and neighboring schools and colleges, have the opportunity to attend the Women PeaceMakers' lectures and other public events, and those events are often streamed live online for national and international audiences as well. Last year, the university received the Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award from NAFSA: The Association of International Educators, in recognition of the Women PeaceMakers Program and its success in internationalizing the campus. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and the University of San Diego on a momentous 10th year of the Women PeaceMakers Program.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Lemon Grove Little League Senior Division All-Stars on becoming U.S. champions and coming in second at the Senior Division World Series in Bangor, Maine. Getting to the World Series in Maine was no small task, and Lemon Grove showed how practicing hard and working together can really pay off. Actually, Congress could probably learn a lot from how well this group worked together. Lemon Grove's run to becoming U.S. champions was inspiring for everyone in the community, and we are all very proud. Congratulations to all the families, the coaches, and of course, the players! Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Lemon Grove Little League All-Stars and wishing them the very best in all of their future endeavors.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Transparency for Lethal Control Act (TLC), legislation requiring the United States Department of Agriculture to publish clear and accessible information on animals killed through the Wildlife Services program of the Animal Health and Inspection Service. The Wildlife Services program is responsible for intervening in situations when an animal is considered a threat or serious nuisance to humans. In some cases, animals are killed to fulfill this mission. Efforts to gather adequate information regarding Wildlife Services operations have been difficult. The USDA has not made detailed data available to the public relating to where, why, how, and which animals have been killed. This lack of transparency and public reporting makes oversight impossible. The USDA could be acting inappropriately or recklessly and without this data, we can't know. That is why I am introducing legislation to require the USDA to publish kill data online by state, county (or other similar political subdivision), and municipality. The killing of animals should not be a routine or reflexive government response. It should only be undertaken, if at all, after careful deliberation and under strict supervision. For that reason, the public and Congress need to have the opportunity for vigorous oversight to ensure that the USDA is acting appropriately and considering all cheaper and more humane alternatives. Congress must improve oversight of the Wildlife Services program and ensure that the USDA is using tax dollars efficiently and appropriately. I urge passage of the Transparency for Lethal Control Act (TLC).

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House unfortunately passed a tax bill that will raise taxes on 25 million families, including many military families. And that is, in a word, outrageous. We see strenuous objections from the majority to fairly tax the superwealthy; but we don't hear a peep about placing an extra tax burden on our middle class families, including members of our military whose families are actually struggling in this economy. Under the majority's tax bill, an E-1 sailor in the Navy with 2 years' service with a spouse and three young children at home would see a tax increase of $1,096. A private in the U.S. Army in her first year of service who is married with an infant child would see a $273 tax increase. As the ranking member of the House Military Personnel Subcommittee, I want to know why we are asking those who have given so much for our country to give even more while we ask the wealthiest Americans to sacrifice nothing. Our military families deserve much better than that, and so do the American people.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, our democracy flourishes when every citizen who wants to, votes--but just once. And luckily, there's just not much evidence that anyone's voting more than once. Look at Pennsylvania, where one of the Nation's strictest voter ID laws is on trial. The State can offer zero evidence that fraud has been committed. They can offer zero evidence that future fraud is likely. So why would we require a voter ID when we know one in 10 voters doesn't have ID? Why would we close early voting sites or deny voters an absentee ballot when they can't make it to the polls on election day? Madam Speaker, the number of people hurt by barriers to voting is clearly higher than the number of illegal votes these methods purport to stop. So let's quit fooling ourselves and let people vote already.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we lost a true hero in Sally Ride. Dr. Ride was a constituent, and I recall my excitement in first meeting her years ago. At the age of 32, Sally K. Ride broke her first barrier when she flew on the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. She was the first American woman ever to fly in space. But her journey didn't end there. She went back to space in 1984, and later on became director of the California Space Institute at UCSC, as well as a professor of physics. She was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She cracked open the door for women to enter the fields of science and engineering and helped inspire countless young girls to follow in her footsteps. I think of what it will mean to my granddaughter Jane to see her in our history books. Dr. Ride will be missed by all those who knew her and all those whom she touched and will continue to reach with her courage, her determination, and fearless spirit.