Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to raise this issue also on behalf of my colleague from California, Congresswoman Speier. Unfortunately, the provisions in section 309 allowing States to enter health insurance compacts may bring unintended consequences that could threaten long-established patient protections, and I know that that is not the intention. I certainly plan on supporting this legislation today; but I would ask you for the commitment, Mr. Chairman, to continue working on the language in section 309 to ensure it does not impact strong State consumer safeguards such as we have in California.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Consumer Protection Committee in the California State Assembly, I worked hard to maintain and improve the protections and the rights that Americans deserve. In the health care industry, which is really the most important of all sectors that deal with people's basic needs, millions of consumers are being taken advantage of on a daily basis and have few rights. This bill changes that. It changes that and it puts us on the track of giving Americans and their families the peace of mind that they will never lose their health coverage. I look forward to voting on this historic bill which puts consumers and puts Americans first.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I support the Democratic bill because it will keep women and their families healthy, not just take care of them when they are sick. Parliamentary Inquiries

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt).

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California. My colleague from California, I certainly appreciate the work that we have done together on the Administration Committee. He speaks of this propitious time for trade, for travel promotion, and what we are trying to speak to here today. I would suggest to him that it's also a propitious time, as it was on travel promotion, to work together in a bipartisan fashion and to try to work out the details of this kind of legislation over a period of time. It's been that same kind of propitious time that we would have liked to have worked on health care in that way, to have had people come together and really want to try and solve these issues for the American people. What we have tried to do is keep the American people in the center of this discussion, to keep consumer protections for the American people in the center of this discussion. We saw that Consumers Union recently endorsed the health care proposal. People trust Consumers Union. When they are going to purchase something, a major purchase, they want to look it up in Consumer Reports, and they want to see what they are saying about it. I think it speaks well to what we have brought together here that Consumers Union is supportive of our efforts. It is a propitious time. It's too bad that we weren't able to work together in the way that my colleagues were able to work on this trade promotion. But I have to think about the people in my district who have become bankrupt because of their health care bills. I have to think about the people who know that they are just an illness away from losing their insurance; that preexisting conditions can even be a pregnancy in some cases. That's wrong. We're focusing on the American people, on consumers, on people who would love to be able to even change a job that they have been in, that they know they can do better, they can innovate, they can change. They can't do that today because they are too afraid of losing their health insurance. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are able to address the issues governing the administration of the Capitol Police here today. I am very pleased as a Californian and as a San Diegan that we are addressing these issues on trade promotion today. That is very important. It is a propitious time to do that. But we also acknowledge that it's a propitious time for us to work together on the issues that the American people care about. That's what we are trying to do. I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield once again to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 896) providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1299, with an amendment.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the measure now under consideration.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, on March 31, the House passed H.R. 1299, to make technical corrections to laws governing administration of the Capitol Police. In the weeks since, the Senate Rules Committee has worked with us to improve the bill even further. The results of our joint effort are incorporated into the motion before the House. I especially want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) and his able staff for their invaluable assistance on this important bill, and I urge an ``aye'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I now want to yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) such time as she may consume.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues, I rise to express my deepest sympathies for the families and loved ones of all affected in the tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood. They are certainly in our thoughts and in our hearts. As someone whose committee works hard to look out for and care for our servicemembers who dedicate themselves to our country, news like this, of course, is devastating. As the stories unfolded yesterday, I could only think of the fact that we had sent so many of our men and women to the most dangerous places in the world; and here they were, probably in what they might have thought was the safest place in the world. We also have to think about our mental health providers today as well because we know that we have mental health care professionals who are very professional, providing the most highly demanding, specialized, emotional and invaluable care to our servicemembers; and it's important to emphasize at these rare times that the actions of one individual certainly don't reflect on all those serving in the profession. It would only add to the tragedy if we let this tarnish those working in the very profession that provide so much help to our troops and their families. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, having spoken to so many families, that a tiny percentage serve, and often families don't believe that the American people really understand what they go through. Today in a tragedy like this, we must do our best. We must make certain this does not happen again and that we reach out to the families and let them know we are listening. We will try harder.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, before closing, I include for the Record this letter from the council president of San Diego, Mr. Ben Hueso, who also is celebrating and encouraging us to support this post office for Cesar Chavez in the community and recognizing what a hero he is to the people. The City of San Diego, San Diego, CA, October 6, 2009. Hon. Susan A. Davis, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Ms. Davis: Cesar Chavez is a hero in my community, so I heartily endorse the proposal that the United States Postal Service facility located at 2777 Logan Avenue, San Diego, be renamed the Cesar E. Chavez Post Office in his honor. Though he passed away in 1993, this union leader's accomplishments continue to impact the quality of life for farm workers and other laborers. I am happy that you have sponsored H.R. 1820 to effect this change, and that the bill has 15 House cosponsors. I am not surprised that support for the redesignation of the post office is widespread. This proposal was unanimously endorsed by the Senate in August, cosponsored by Senator Barbara Boxer. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to support your effort to honor Cesar Chavez. Sincerely, Benjamin Hueso. Council President. Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to mention in closing, I mentioned the fact that we have a holiday in California that young people devote to service. I think what is so really engaging about that particular holiday is that we have young people throughout the community that are so eager to carry on his legacy. They do it throughout the community in multiple ways, with the environment, educating others, educating their peers and going into schools and preschool centers to really feel that they are part of his legacy and to speak to the students. To see the way that they really tell you so proudly of the experiences that they have had in his memory is very, very appealing; and I think it is continuing to make a difference in the lives of young people in San Diego today. With that, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 748. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague from California (Ms. Zoe Lofgren).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my colleague and friend from San Diego, Mr. Filner, who, by the way, actually represented this district and had carried similar legislation.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 748) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2777 Logan Avenue in San Diego, California, as the ``Cesar E. Chavez Post Office''.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage passage of S. 748, a bill to name a post office in the Logan Heights community of San Diego after Cesar Chavez. I originally introduced this bill, and I am very pleased to see Senator Boxer's companion legislation move forward. Cesar Chavez was born in Yuma, Arizona, in 1927, and he spent the majority of his life advocating for safe working conditions and fair wages for migrant workers. This work of his was driven by a commitment to the principles of nonviolence and community building, which has become his legacy. Cesar Chavez means so much to my constituents in San Diego because he embodied the spirit of our city, a big Navy town. In addition to his community activism, Mr. Chavez served in the Navy, was a World War II veteran, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Though most well-known for his work with farm workers, in San Diego we know him best for his work improving conditions for the men and women who worked on fishing boats and in the local canneries. Let me tell you a little bit about Logan Heights. Logan Heights is actually one of the oldest communities in the City of San Diego, and it's a neighborhood rich in Hispanic heritage. Cesar Chavez is a hero to the people of Logan Heights. Every year the community holds a parade in honor of him on his birthday, March 31, which is celebrated in California as a State holiday. In fact, many young people devote themselves to service on that day. In 2003, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor Cesar Chavez. A post office named in his honor in our community would be a lasting tribute to his legacy and symbolic of how one person can truly make a difference. Please join me in recognizing an American hero and honoring the community of Logan Heights. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, it has really been an honor to present this resolution today. I was recalling the trip that we last made to Kandahar, Afghanistan. We had an opportunity to meet with about 40-plus, maybe 50, women there in all of the different services, just asking them about why they were there and about why they joined the service. The kind of work they were doing was truly inspiring; and, of course, they always wanted to tell us about their children, who were at home. These women are providing a tremendous service to our country. We honor them, and I certainly encourage and know that all of my colleagues will be supporting this resolution.

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mrs. DAVIS of California

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 139, congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their many contributions to our Nation. I thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn of Colorado, for introducing this measure. According to Forbes Magazine, the United States Air Force Academy is among the most selective public colleges in the United States. It is among only five colleges with a special mission of educating, training and inspiring young men and women in the military to serve as officers of character and preparing and motivating them to lead in its service to our great Nation. As such, the Air Force Academy has developed a strong reputation that distinguishes itself for consistently producing America's future leaders both in military service and in our society. The youngest of the five United States service academies, the United States Air Force Academy has produced excellent officers. Since opening its doors in 1955, the academy has produced over 41,000 cadets, which includes 495 general officers, 35 Rhodes Scholars, 10 Marshall Scholars, 13 Harry S. Truman Scholars, 116 Kennedy School of Government Scholars, 92 Guggenheim Fellows, and 32 Gearhart scholarships to study in France. Additionally, academy graduates have served in every major military conflict since the Vietnam War with the highest level of integrity and honor and, at times, paying the ultimate price in service to America, as 172 graduates have been killed in combat and another 36 were repatriated prisoners of war. Two graduates are combat aces, and one is a Medal of Honor recipient. Their contributions to every industry and component of American life has been significant: 34 astronauts, the second highest number of astronauts of any higher learning institution, are Air Force Academy graduates. There are Olympic gold medal winners, NFL Super Bowl championship winners, and CEOs and presidents of Fortune 500 corporations. Truly, the United States Air Force Academy produces professional officers who have the knowledge, the character and the motivation which make them leaders in our military and in other aspects of society. House Concurrent Resolution 139 is our way, as the United States Congress, of recognizing the exemplary service and contributions made by the United States Air Force Academy to the Air Force and to our Nation. This resolution also commends the first graduating class of the United States Air Force on their 50th anniversary and on their significant contributions to shaping the Air Force Academy and the Air Force to the excellence it is known for today. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the United States Air Force Academy. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 139) congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation, as amended.