Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to take this time to recognize a tremendous and extremely valuable asset to public education in the United States that began in my city of San Diego in 1980. The Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, program has helped hundreds of thousands of underachieving middle and high school students across the United States learn the study habits and the skills needed to get into college and graduate; and for many of them to be the first in their family to go to college and to graduate. A teacher at Clairemont High School, Mary Catherine Swanson, created AVID because she wanted to find a way to help students tap their true potential and help them achieve academic success. The program emphasizes individual achievement, while teaching sound study skills and new study habits. AVID also encourages goal setting, and works to lift self-expectations and self-esteem in students so they can rise to the challenge. Mary Catherine Swanson recently retired, and now is the perfect time to celebrate what she accomplished for education through the AVID program. While overseeing the program for 25 years, AVID went from one classroom in San Diego to over 2,300 middle and high schools in 36 States and 15 nations abroad. Nearly 260,000 students have benefited tremendously from its ground-breaking teaching methods, encouraging time management, sound study habits, self-confidence, and hard work. These students enroll in the toughest classes, such as AP courses, and are given the support and resources to rise to the challenge through AVID. Amazingly, over 95 percent of those who complete the AVID program attend college, and 89 percent of these students return for their sophomore year. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to choose from the thousands of success stories produced by AVID. The program helped U.S. Olympic athlete Joanna Hayes earn the grades and develop the study habits needed to attend UCLA. Joanna then went on to win the Gold in the 100-Meter Hurdle event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, and she attributes her success in part to the discipline she learned from AVID. Another great story is that of AVID student Truong-Son Vinh, who earned degrees in engineering and applied math from the University of California at San Diego after high school. Vinh came to the United States as a boy when his family fled Vietnam after it fell to the North in the 1970s, and he went on to apply his knowledge and skills working for NASA. There are thousands of success stories. AVID students have gone on to earn advanced degrees in all key subjects and disciplines. I want to thank Mary Catherine Swanson for having a vision and working hard to implement this vision beginning with one classroom and 32 students at Clairemont High. And I want to thank the teachers and the tutors for their dedication, and also recognize the students who had the courage to take on the rigorous academic track required by AVID, and who had the desire to go on one day and find success in college. I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Castle, for his efforts on behalf of this resolution, and also I would like to thank Chairman McKeon and House leadership for bringing House Res. 576 to the floor today. If we are to eliminate the achievement gap in the United States and remain competitive globally, I believe we need to build upon the programs that have proven success, encouraging and inspiring hard work in academics. AVID is clearly one of these programs, and I know it will continue its tradition of success in the years to come. Finally, as we look at the No Child Left Behind reauthorization and how we can improve it, I believe it is more than worthwhile to look at programs such as AVID. AVID provides the strong and uniform training techniques to those who oversee it in schools across the Nation. It sets high standards for both its instructors and its students. AVID is not about one community or one region, but a national push to encourage strong academic standards, and provides the accountability and support to back up those standards. It further gives the students the support they need both academically and socially to achieve in difficult classes. I encourage my colleagues to support passage of this resolution today and encourage my colleagues to learn from this highly successful program. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that acceptance, and I know that the veterans will as well.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment today along with my colleagues, Mr. Evans of Illinois and Ms. Herseth of South Dakota, on behalf of our veterans seeking to start and operate their own businesses. I have been interested in this issue for a number of years after visiting with our servicemembers in Afghanistan. I recall one brave servicemember who told me his dream was to learn about entrepreneurship and start his own business after his tour of duty. So it is up to us to make sure our veterans have access to the training, assistance and capital to start a business. Mr. Chairman, Congress passed legislation in 1999 establishing the National Veterans Business Development Corporation to provide all of these crucial aspects of entrepreneurship to veterans. As a result, the Veterans Corporation has provided training to over 8,000 veterans and has helped over 550 veterans start businesses during 2006 alone. Charmaine Burnett is one of those thousands of success stories. She is a service-disabled veteran of the Gulf War living in California, and her construction services company has been awarded several contracts in recent months. She attributes her success in part to the assistance she received from the Veterans Corporation. Unfortunately, at $500,000, H.R. 5672 does not provide sufficient funding for the Veterans Corporation to train and continue its services to veterans when they need it the most. Mr. Chairman, why would we cut this funding to veterans when they need it most? The corporation will have to cut back and reduce services for veterans entrepreneurship when many of our servicemembers are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Our amendment increases funding for the Veterans Corporation by a mere $1 million to match its level for fiscal year 2006. Our veterans need this funding. This amendment is completely budget neutral. It does not increase spending and does not take away from other important programs within the SBA. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to support business ownership for America's veterans.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation giving America's seniors a new opportunity to benefit from culturally competent multigenerational programs with our young people. Specifically, many older Americans have limited English proficiency and can face difficulties finding younger individuals with whom to communicate because of language barriers. In addition, multilingual young people can act as a valuable communication resource to help increase awareness for seniors on a range of issues. I became aware of this issue recently while visiting a site for a supportive senior housing project in my district in San Diego. This supportive housing includes affordable housing for low-income seniors, nutrition services, social services, and mental healthcare. The program is in a culturally diverse neighborhood, and therefore, the people whom this program benefits come from a wide variety of backgrounds and speak many languages. The program staff wants to ensure that the seniors in the neighborhood are aware of the programs available to them, and feel comfortable coming to the senior center to receive those services. But there are major language and cultural barriers to overcome. In this case, young people in the neighborhood, who speak English and another language, could go out into the community to help increase awareness about the programs, and help seniors navigate the programs-- the eligibility requirements, the enrollment process, and other vital information. Mr. Speaker, not only is it important that we do what we can to give older Americans the opportunity to share their wisdom and experiences with younger generations, it is also important that we give young people the opportunity to work with and help seniors. We know about the joy our seniors experience from visiting with younger folks. We must ensure that all segments of our older population have this opportunity and multigenerational programs are an excellent way for seniors and young people to benefit from each other. My legislation would amend the Older Americans Act, OAA, to encourage and facilitate regular interaction between seniors with limited English proficiency and students with multilingual skills across the United States. Now that we are on the verge of reauthorizing the OAA, I encourage my colleagues to support action to give all of our seniors the gift of multigenerational activities.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, our men and women in uniform have shouldered the enormous tasks we have asked of them; and they should be commended for it, especially considering the careless way this war was planned and conducted. Our soldiers would never complain about the mistakes of their Commander in Chief. The military just does not work that way. We all know that. Without any second guessing, they will always do the jobs assigned to them. But we are the Congress. It is our job to raise questions about how our troops are used and cared for. It is our job to identify and to look into mistakes that are made by the executive branch. It is our job to consider and learn from the lessons of Iraq. But what have we learned today? Recycling words and we are not fixing problems. This resolution, Mr. Speaker, just does not cut it. Our soldiers are doing their jobs. They have earned and deserve a Congress that does its job.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I want to raise an issue that I think has really not gotten a lot of attention, and that is the fact that our troops have been asked to play roles that they really didn't train for. One moment our troops are being asked to work with civilians in Iraq and with the local governments. They are being asked to teach them negotiating skills. And then in the next minute, they are being asked to go outside and control the chaos that is swarming in the streets. Well, you know what? We know that our soldiers have answered these calls, and they do it better than anyone could have ever expected them to. But the fact that they have had to perform these different roles is disturbing evidence of the way the President and his civilian leaders have planned so poorly for this war and the aftermath that we are still in today. But don't listen to me. Listen to General McCaffrey who has made numerous trips to Iraq and to Afghanistan and he has publicly stated that that critical interagency coordination that was really important to get the kind of provincial reconstruction themes are just beginning to emerge now up and running. What disturbs me is not just the fact that our military has been asked to perform those tasks; but in the place of people who should have been performing those tasks, we have very inexperienced and young individuals who really have never played that role before. So just now we see some changes; we see that they are trying to put together the right Foreign Service officers in the field. Even today, Secretary Rice said she is still struggling to do that in many cases. What was needed was a plan for post-occupation Iraq that honored the sacrifices of our troops. And instead they have been given this burden unnecessarily and at great cost. I join in applauding my colleagues, as we all are, trying to raise the facts and the realities of Iraq today. And I yield to Mr. Skelton.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, American families are facing record-breaking prices at the gas pump this summer. But apparently, the priority of Republicans in Congress is to keep providing giveaways to wealthy oil companies. This week, Republican leaders are bringing another unnecessary piece of legislation to the House floor in an effort to make it seem like they're meeting the challenge of high fuel prices. As most of us know, however, appearances can be deceiving. Let's be clear about what this Republican refinery bill won't do. Just like the Republican push to drill for oil in Alaska, today's refinery bill won't take one penny off high gas prices. Not one penny. Let's also be clear about what this Republican refinery bill will do. Quite simply, it gives rich oil companies free real estate to build refineries. And what if the free land happens to be in your backyard? What if a refinery violates local environmental concerns? What if your neighborhood objects to having a refinery in your backyard? According to this bill, well, you're just on your own. If you care anything about alternative energy development, State and local rights, the environment, or American families, vote ``no'' on this misguided bill.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a horrible form of identity theft. We have heard plenty lately about the need to take swift action to prevent this serious crime. Just this month, one of the largest data security breaches in history occurred when the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lost the names, Social Security Numbers, and the dates of birth of over 26 million Americans. We hear a lot about security breaches and the identity theft of living Americans. One aspect of the crime you do not always hear about is the misuse of personal information of deceased Americans. This is a serious issue for many reasons. For one, it is their loved ones who pay the price. Months or even years after a family member passes away, surviving spouses or other relatives will begin to receive credit card bills or even phone calls from bill collectors. A predator can go onto certain websites and purchase Social Security Numbers that are sold for purposes of tracking family histories and genealogy. The predator then uses the Social Security Number to apply for credit cards, loans, and other forms of consumer credit. There were even reports that a predator was misusing the personal information of a New York resident who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In another case, a woman began to receive bills addressed to her daughter who had passed away 17 years before. In my hometown of San Diego just recently, the local news media shed light on another unfortunate case. A predator took information on a woman published in an obituary and used it for identity theft crimes. It was up to her son to repair the damage and put an end to the abuse. I cannot imagine the emotional toll these cases must take on surviving relatives, and I rise today to take action to prevent further cases of this crime. It is time Congress acted to block this form of identity theft from continuing. Predators can collect this information with relative ease giving them a study supply of Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, and the information they need to commit these horrible crimes. Furthermore, this form of identity theft can ruin the good names and pristine credit histories of those who are deceased. Unless we take action, family members will continue to suffer from the misuse of their loved one's personal information. My legislation, the Identity Theft Protection for the Deceased Act, requires that the federal government inform each national credit bureau when an individual passes away. In turn, the credit bureaus will flag the histories of those who have deceased and potential creditors will know not to issue lines of credit or new loans to those attempting to misuse their personal information. Mr. Speaker, I urge that we act to stop this vicious form of identity theft and protect the relatives of America's deceased.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate Blair L. Sadler, who has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital and Health Center of San Diego since 1980. Mr. Sadler celebrates his retirement after more than a quarter of a century of service in the field of pediatric healthcare. A native of New York City, Blair graduated from Amherst College with a bachelor's degree in economics and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He served as a law clerk with the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and as a medical-legal specialist for the National Institutes of Health. He was an Assistant Professor at Yale University for 3 years and served for 4 years as Assistant Vice President at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey. Prior to his appointment at Children's Hospital, Blair served as Vice President and Director of the hospital and clinics at Scripps Clinical and Research Foundation for 3 years. Before coming to California, Blair had already established a national and international reputation in several fields, including organ transplantation, physician assistant programs, and emergency medical care and trauma services. While at the National Institutes of Health, with his physician twin brother, he was very involved in writing a model organ donation law that was adopted in all 50 states and published leading articles on transplantation and the law. While on the Yale University Medical School faculty, he co-authored two books The Physician's Assistant--Today and Tomorrow and Emergency Medical Care: The Neglected Public Service, which were widely utilized. At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, he designed and led their first national competitive grants program in regional emergency medical communication systems that became a model for the Foundation's work. His many accomplishments show a deep commitment to improving healthcare. He has skillfully integrated quantitative indicators along with qualitative elements to fashion a truly unique healing experience for the patients at Children's Hospitals. Under his leadership, Children's has become one of the leading pediatric hospitals in America and was the country's first children's hospital to receive the prestigious Ernest A. Codman Award in recognition for its pioneering work in quality of care. Children's is the major pediatric partner of the entire Sharp and Scripps health care systems and, in 2001, signed a historic agreement combining the UCSD pediatric programs with Children's. Blair's leadership has enabled Children's to grow and develop as one of the Nation's best pediatric hospitals and, during his tenure, Children's has provided care for more than a million children in the San Diego region since 1980. Children's has added many nationally recognized programs and services and has developed strong collaborative relationships with virtually every healthcare provider in San Diego. While Blair has been at the helm, the hospital has planned and constructed more than 200,000 square feet of facilities and he has championed a healing environment for Children's. Thanks to Blair's vision, Children's is not just a conglomeration of buildings; it represents a model healing environment for kids and their families. In 1999, Children's built the first healing garden in an American children's hospital and there are now four gardens on its campus. In 2001, in partnership with the nonprofit Society for the Arts in Healthcare, he created and personally funded the Blair L. Sadler Healing Arts Award program that annually recognizes professional and student artists who have made measurable contributions to improved health care through the arts. On behalf of the people of San Diego, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation for Blair's commitment and my best wishes for his retirement. I wish him and his family the very best in their new endeavors.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Chairman, in his first appearance as our Commander in Chief, President Bush told servicemembers at Fort Stewart, you deserve a military that treats you and your families with respect. Well, I couldn't agree more. Today we are considering how the defense bill can demonstrate our respect for the people who serve in uniform by providing for their equipment, their training and their well-being. Together with my colleagues today, I am offering an amendment to lift the current ban on abortion services in overseas military hospitals. Under current law, women serving our country overseas have to return home to the U.S. for medical services after obtaining permission from their commanding officer and finding space on military transport. Their only other option is venturing out to a hospital in a foreign country. Madam Chair, I believe we can do better. I would just like to clarify a few points about this amendment. No Federal funds would be used for those procedures. Women would use their own funds, and that would include overhead costs as well, for overhead costs. This amendment affects only U.S. military facilities overseas in countries where abortion is legal, and it also observes the refusal clauses and will not force providers to perform abortions. Madam Chair, women serving in uniform are fighting to protect our freedom and our rights. Yet these women do not receive the protection of the Constitution they so ably defend. Even for those who don't require this service, the presence of this ban sends a demoralizing message. I believe we can do better. Today, I have heard Chairman Hunter and certainly Mr. McHugh and others who have spoken so eloquently about how this bill incorporates important military personnel issues. I support this bill, and I support the work that went into it. I support the compassion and the passion of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee. But I do believe, Madam Chair, that if we don't lift this ban we continue to make women serving in uniform, who face the intimate, most personal issue, we continue to make these women invisible to us. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time and look forward to my colleagues' comments.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I have one more speaker and will close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, as we consider this amendment today, I want to urge my colleagues to reflect on the following: We ask women to serve in the military. We trust women in the military to secure our safety. We ask women to put their lives at risk for our freedoms. They have saved many lives as they have gone to war for us. So I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, let us not turn our backs on the women in uniform in our country.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, in San Diego, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.43 a gallon, highlighting the expanding energy crisis in the country and fueling the frustration of many Americans. It is quite clear that the energy policies of President Bush and the Republican majority have failed. The American people want Congress to come together and fix this crisis. House Democrats are energized in providing quick relief and long-term solutions. Democrats want to provide quick relief by expanding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and expanding tax credits and grants to small businesses. We do this by repealing the $8 billion in Federal giveaways Republicans dished out to the oil and gas companies. Democrats are committed to funding groundbreaking research and new technologies so that we can be independent of foreign oil by the year 2020. The energy policy of this administration and this majority is draining the wallets of Americans. It is time we implement a comprehensive energy policy that helps consumers and emphasizes alternate renewable energy.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an inequity facing America's men and women in uniform who seek an education in return for their military service. For years, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) has allowed thousands of men and women in uniform attend college or to receive vocational training to prepare for a new career after the military. It is an excellent program and one we must preserve. However, Mr. Speaker, I would like to remedy an inequity that exists in this program with legislation I am introducing today. To receive the benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill, our service members must pay $1,200 to $1,800 into the program at the beginning of their military service. A $100 is deducted each month from their military pay for the first 12 months, for example. With the legislation I offer today, our service members would still make the initial contribution. However, this contribution would no longer count against them later on when they apply for federal student aid. In many cases, Mr. Speaker, the Montgomery GI Bill alone does not cover the cost for college or job training. Our service members must also apply for federal student aid to cover tuition and other expenses. The Department of Education considers their benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill as ``income''--thereby reducing the amount they are eligible to receive from federal student aid programs. This legislation goes back to the $1,200 out-of-pocket contribution that a service member made to become eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill. It is not fair to ask our service members to pay the original amount out of their own pocket and then penalize them for it later on. This bill would simply exempt the original contribution that came from their own pocket from the Department of Education's income consideration. This legislation does not present significant cost to the federal government but would go a long way to help America's individual service members afford college. I offered the provisions contained in this legislation as part of the College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609) when it was on the House floor. Unfortunately, the amendment was not accepted, but I plan to pursue the issue until we correct this inequity. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take just a moment to thank those who have worked on this issue and who have pushed for the exemption in the past. I am proud to offer this legislation along with Ranking Member Lane Evans of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Mr. Evans and his staff have been seeking a remedy for this inequity for several years. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to offer legislation benefiting America's military service members and helping them to attend college or receive job training.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud my colleague, Mr. Schiff, for bringing us all together this evening so we can talk about real security for the American people. Mr. Speaker, America has the absolute finest military in the world, and that wouldn't be possible without the people who wear the uniform. I want all Americans to know that it doesn't matter to me whether they call themselves a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or anything else. I stand here tonight to simply tell Americans that there are indeed Democrats in Congress who are strong on national security. We get it, and we have a plan to get America back on track. Let me be just clear at the outset. Support for the troops has no party affiliation, and that is definitely true here in Congress. There are hundreds of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, who want to do right by the troops who are in harm's way right this minute all around the globe. I am convinced, however, that the Democratic plan to protect America is the path this Nation needs to embark upon now, and I say that because the Democratic plan for a 21st century military focuses on the same resource that the military itself focuses on, and that is the people. It is about the people who volunteer to wear that uniform. I have been very proud to serve in Congress as a Member of the House Armed Services Committee since I was first elected to represent the people of San Diego. As anyone from San Diego can tell you, we are the epitome of a military town. San Diegans have a deep and long-standing relationship with the military that gives our community a very unique level of interaction and familiarity with the Armed Services. San Diego's operational bases provide a valuable network of military resources that, taken together, equate to bottom-line military readiness. We host the Pacific fleet's largest concentration of carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships and submarines, and our regional training and support facilities supplement these resources superbly. But at the end of the day, while these are valuable assets, what it really comes down to is the people. Outside their uniforms and off the battlefield, these brave men and women serve double duty. They are our neighbors, they are our Little League coaches, they are our PTA presidents, and they are our community volunteers. In short, our military servicemembers are extraordinary people who lead ordinary lives, just like you and me. For those people and communities who are not as familiar with the military, I think it may be easy sometimes to think of them in a more desensitized, mechanical way, almost as if the troops themselves are made of the same steel and weaponry they use to accomplish their missions and protect themselves with. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Our troops are a mirror image of the American people themselves. They find strength in their convictions as Americans. They are strong in their education and training and they are strong in their diversity and their mutual respect for one another. Mr. Speaker, you may wonder why I would choose to spend so much time this evening talking about the human characteristics of our military personnel in the context of a Democratic plan to protect America. But the people who make America's military great are really the heart of the Democratic plan. Americans expect their elected leaders to take care of the troops, and that is exactly what Americans and what Democrats here today are prepared to do. First, that means having enough people. This administration ignored the advice of respected senior military leaders by sending too few troops to Iraq. No matter how you look at it, that was a serious miscalculation. It impaired America's ability to accomplish its mission quickly. Democrats will insist on 21st century military forces that are large and strong enough to meet any challenge America may face in the future without creating neverending states of deployment. A 21st century military also demands fully equipping and supplying our troops, and that is exactly what the Democratic plan would do. Democrats will fight to ensure America's troops are never underequipped. The Democratic plan is a plan that would emphasize the body and vehicle armor our troops need before they find themselves in harm's way. Moreover, we must rebuild and replace the equipment that has been used in Iraq and Afghanistan so our troops can continue to rely on it with confidence in the future. The Democratic plan also means a renewed investment in research and development. We simply must invest in technology today that will lead to advancements for the battlefield that will keep on protecting our soldiers and sailors and will keep on helping them to accomplish their future missions. Similarly, we must continue to make investments in the way we educate and train our military personnel. Training and education is a key component in the dominance and success of America's military, and this will be no different for a 21st century military. We must commit to providing superior ways to continue expanding and advancing the minds of our military professionals. The Democratic plan for a 21st century military also envisions a renewed commitment to the National Guard and Reserve. Our efforts must reflect the level of respect and commitment our reserve components have earned and deserve. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic plan for a 21st century military encompasses many more components, including increased human intelligence, honoring veterans and retirees, and making good on America's promise to take care of the health and well-being of our soldiers and also their families. It is really about the people: Our training them, equipping them, and our support for them. The troops demand better, Mr. Speaker, and Democrats are poised to provide it to them. I am happy to return to Mr. Schiff and join with my colleagues as we discuss the rest of the Democrat plan and the pillars of security.

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I think it is, and because our families prepare as well as the men and women who actually go into war, it provides a particular burden on all of them. And I think that is why it has been, in a community like San Diego, why we have felt this so acutely. And know how important it is for people to have a sense of comfort that they have the equipment they need and that once deployed and coming home, particularly for the guard and reserve, that they will not see these kind of endless deployments. That has been very important and it has been really hard for the families to sometimes get a really good handle on that.