Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this concurrent resolution provides for the use of the Capitol rotunda to mark the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Forces. I support the resolution. Mr. Speaker, 60 years ago, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which established the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Forces. Determined to end segregation in the Armed Forces, President Truman issued this historic directive to end discrimination experienced by African American soldiers. Executive Order 9981 was successful in ending racial segregation in the military and its effect is long-standing. As a result of the directive, segregation based on creed, gender, and national origin was also abolished. It is important we recognize such an historic victory for civil rights and for our Armed Forces. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I just urge that Members support H. Con. Res. 377 which provides for use of the Capitol rotunda marking the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Forces.

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I join with the California Medical Association, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, the Clinical Social Work Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the Food Marketing Institute and Kidney Care Partners in supporting H.R. 3631. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Robert C. Dynes, who stepped down recently as the 18th President of the University of California, one of the world's premier research universities. President Dynes has devoted his talents and vision to the University's historic mission of academics, research, and public service to the state of California. A renowned scientist with a steadfast commitment to the highest standards of intellectual life--a hallmark of the University of California since its inception--President Dynes has demonstrated himself to be a skilled, creative, and resourceful leader. During his time at the University of California, he has tackled the vital issues facing higher education in the 21st century with both tenacity and foresight. His service as President of the University of California has been the capstone of a remarkable career in both private industry and higher education. Before he came to the University of California, Dr. Dynes served for 22 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories as department head of semiconductor and material physics research and director of chemical physics research. I came to know President Dynes in his role as the Chancellor of the University of California, San Diego from 1996 to 2003. Under Chancellor Dynes' guidance, UCSD achieved national and international acclaim for its research and educational excellence. During his tenure at the University of California, President Dynes has been a staunch and effective advocate for America's security and competitiveness through advances in science and technology. He has also demonstrated this commitment to encouraging innovation on the national level by serving in key positions in the National Academy of Sciences, the Association of American Universities, and the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. President Dynes also spearheaded the effort by the University of California to overhaul the university's management of our nation's nuclear security national laboratories. To accomplish this goal, he paired the latest scientific evidence with innovative security strategies to update the management and oversight of the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. President Dynes has also been a vigorous and visionary leader in the national movement to reform K-12 math and science education. Among his most notable achievements is his collaboration with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California State University system, and California's industry leaders in creating the Cal Teach Science and Math Initiative. This endeavor has won high praise from both federal policymakers and U.S. corporate leaders. With globalization playing a greater role in our society, President Dynes recognized that research universities must ``facilitate the free flow of ideas between borders'' to create the economy and quality of life of the future. To strengthen the research capacity and the intellectual development of American students, he initiated international cooperation with institutions of higher education, as well as with business and industry, in China, India, Canada, and Mexico. President Dynes' foresight and leadership is evident in the launch of the first new research university of the 21st century--University of California, Merced. Likewise, his hard work was instrumental to the creation of the Governor Gray Davis Institutes for Science and Innovation. Both of these efforts will help keep California at the cutting edge of research into bioengineering, nanotechnology, next generation Internet and the many other elements of the ``New Economy.'' Therefore, I rise today in tribute to my friend Robert C. Dynes--for the invaluable service he has rendered to the country and to the state of California. I would like to thank him for his leadership in the continuing search for new knowledge and commend him for his steadfast commitment to the students of California.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule on H.R. 5749 to extend unemployment benefits to millions of American workers, including over 700,000 in my home State of California. And I'd like to speak about one of those real Americans that I am accountable to. Just yesterday I spoke with a 51-year-old woman, whose name is Karen, from San Diego. After working for the past 10 years as a Consumer Service Specialist for a large telecom company, Karen was recently laid off from her job. And she's been actively looking for work but has been unable to find one because of the poor economy. Unable to afford health insurance, the stress of being unemployed is beginning to take a toll on Karen's health. And it's also become harder and harder for her to pay her bills. She told me just looking for a job cost money because you've got to pay for the gas to drive to the interview. She can certainly relate to this discussion this morning. To make matters worse, her unemployment benefits have just ended. She told me that she has worked hard her whole life and that she is not looking for a hand out, just her life back. I think we can all agree Karen is one of those hardworking Americans we came to Washington to help.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5749 to extend unemployment benefits to millions of American workers, including over 700,000 in my home State of California. I wanted to take this opportunity to put a human face on the recent economic downturn. Just yesterday, I spoke with a 51-year-old woman named Karen from my home district of San Diego. After working for the past 10 years as a customer service specialist, Karen was recently laid off from her job. She has been actively looking for work but has been unable to find a job because of the poor economy. Unable to afford health insurance, the stress of being unemployed is beginning to take a toll on Karen's health. It has also become harder and harder for her to pay her bills. She told me, ``Just looking for a job costs money, because you've got to pay for the gas to drive to the interviews.'' And to make matters worse, her unemployment benefits have just ended. By voting for H.R. 5749, we will provide the support millions of Americans need to get back on their feet. Let us help American workers get their lives back.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I rise in support of the Skelton-Berman- Lowey amendment. Mr. Chairman, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted why Congress and the executive branch must do a better job of marshalling all elements of national power in support of U.S. goals abroad and ensure that future missions are not military-centric but joint interagency efforts. The creation of an interagency advisory panel required to make recommendations to each department is an excellent first step. As important as the creation of this new panel is, the coordination between the committees that we see here today is also critical. We know that part of the interagency problem is the rigid stovepipe structure found right here in this body. So while this amendment seeks to influence the executive branch, it will take reforms on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to have the type of interagency coordination we need to address the challenges of the 21st century. I applaud the sponsors of this bill, Chairman Skelton, Chairman Berman and Chairwoman Lowey. They deserve an enormous amount of credit for bringing this forward, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Akin amendment. Our men and women in uniform and their families are bearing the brunt of the wars. Those who volunteer to protect our freedom face deployment after deployment, and we know that. Their families at home are facing difficulty getting the health care they need from military hospitals because of resource shortages. This amendment was offered in committee and failed by a vote of 33- 24. The question, Mr. Chairman, for Members on the Akin amendment is clear, how much do we support our military families? Are they really our high priority? I urge my colleagues to stand with our troops and their families and oppose the Akin amendment.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, as the chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I'm pleased to support H.R. 5658, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. As my colleagues and the other subcommittee Chairs have noted and will note, I think, as they speak, this bill is a bipartisan effort. I want to recognize the committee chair, of course, Mr. Ike Skelton, and the ranking member, Mr. Duncan Hunter, for their exemplary leadership. I would also like to recognize my ranking member on the subcommittee, Mr. McHugh, for his support. I also want to thank our dedicated staffs on both sides of the aisle for extraordinary work. Each year has been extremely challenging to meet all of the wishes that we seek for those who are serving in harm's way. And this year was certainly no exception. However, the defense bill before us continues to enhance and improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families who are bearing the brunt of 6 years of war. Let me highlight some of the important initiatives that we address. The committee supported the President's proposal to increase end strength for the Army and Marine Corps and restores the military to civilian conversions within the medical community that were prohibited in last year's bill. The bill includes a 3.9 percent pay raise which is one-half of 1 percent above both the President's budget request and private sector raises as measured by the Employment Cost Index, the ECI. This is the 10th consecutive year of pay raises above ECI, and this raise will further reduce the gap between military and private sector raises from 3.4 percent to 2.9 percent from a high of 13.5 percent during fiscal year 1999. The bill establishes a tuition-assistance program for eligible military spouses to develop careers that are portable as they move with their servicemember from base to base. The bill also authorizes a career intermission pilot program that would allow those who are seeking a military career time-off from active duty for a period of several years in order to pursue other life achievements. The reserve components have moved from a strategic force to an integral and vital part of the operational force, particularly in the Army. The bill would increase full-time manning for the Army National Guard to 30,450 and the Army Reserve to 17,070. The bill prohibits TRICARE health and pharmacy fee increases proposed in the President's budget. I'm pleased that we were successful in finding the offsets necessary to prohibit the fee increases to protect our military beneficiaries. However, the committee remains concerned that the department continues to put forward proposals that place the focus solely on our military retirees and fails to address other cost drivers within the system. So we must work together to find a fair and equitable solution that protects our beneficiaries and ensures the financial viability of the military health care system for the future. The bill begins efforts to improve the health care readiness of our force and their families by establishing preventive health care programs. Mr. Chairman, the bill before the Members today is a good bill, and Members can be proud of what we are doing for the troops and their families. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 986) recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict, as amended.

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume I rise today to urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 986 which recognizes members of the Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict, and calls for a full accounting of the 1,729 members who still remain unaccounted for from that conflict. ``Never leave a comrade behind'' is the motto of our Armed Forces. However, one of the regrettable results of war is the possibility of being forced to leave behind missing personnel or prisoners of war. At the conclusion of the Vietnam War, 2,646 members of the Armed Forces were considered prisoners of war or were declared missing in action. While many servicemembers were returned, 1,729 of our soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines remain unaccounted for to this very day. During the course of the Vietnam War, as many as 700 American military personnel were held by the enemy. One of the infamous prison facilities in Vietnam was referred to as the ``Hanoi Hilton.'' Located in downtown Hanoi, the prison held American servicemembers including then Lieutenant Commander John McCain, now Senator McCain, and another of our esteemed colleagues, former Major Samuel R. Johnson. Sam Johnson was shot down April 16, 1966, as he flew his 25th Air Force mission over Vietnam. Bravery and passion filled the hearts of our servicemembers in Vietnam who willingly gave their life and liberty to protect the rights that Americans hold dear. We honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in defense of our Nation, and to those who were prisoners of war as they epitomize the very best of America. For nearly 7 years, Mr. Johnson and 700 servicemembers endured beatings, torture tactics, starvation, denial of medical attention and denial of contact to the outside world. January 27, 1973, marked the beginning of Operation Homecoming, the mission to end the brutal mistreatment of American troops following the cease-fire agreement between the United States and North Vietnam. Operation Homecoming concluded on April 1, 1973, when the last of 591 prisoners of war were released. However, it is clear that much work remains to be done in finding the 1,729 troops who did not return home. Since 1985, the Vietnamese Government has been working with the United States to help return our servicemembers back to their families, and we appreciate their efforts, and ask them to renew their efforts to help us bring these Americans home. On behalf of the American people, our deep appreciation and heartfelt thanks go to the prisoners of war from Vietnam and other conflicts and to their families. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say what an honor it is for me to serve with a great American, Mr. Sam Johnson, here in the House, and I thank God, as my colleagues do as well, that he is here to share with us his extraordinary experiences and to remind us of individuals like himself who serve this country with such honor and valor.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close after my colleague has yielded back his time. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 32) honoring the members of the United States Air Force who were killed in the June 25, 1996, terrorist bombing of the Khobar Towers United States military housing compound near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, as amended.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Rangel and my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee for including provisions from H.R. 337 and H.R. 515 in the HEART Act. Including these two bills is particularly meaningful for me because both were inspired by servicemembers and veterans in my district who came to me and said we have problems needing your attention. The first bill addresses a harmful glitch in the Supplemental Security Income program. Because eligibility for SSI benefits is based on income, a family struggling to get by actually loses benefits for their children from any increase in military pay considered ``unearned income.'' Military families do not deserve to lose the benefits they badly need because a parent chooses to serve in the Armed Forces. The second bill fixes a serious flaw in the CalVet Home Loan program limiting eligibility to servicemembers who signed up prior to 1977. This prevents many veterans from the first Gulf War and nearly all veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from taking advantage of the CalVet program. H.R. 6081 removes the date of service provision, giving servicemembers retiring in California a greater opportunity to own a home.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1054) honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans, as amended.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

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

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 961) commending the Alaska Army National Guard for its service to the State of Alaska and the citizens of the United States.