Susan Davis

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I want the women who have served in uniform to know one thing. Some of us in Congress understand your struggle, and we are fighting for you. Shockingly, the Republican budget adopts significant increases to out-of-pocket costs for our women retirees who depend on the TRICARE program for their health care. Managed care enrollment fees for senior enlisted women retirees would double, and those for retired female officers would triple. I have serious doubts about the validity of any projected cost savings from these fee increases. It is insulting to even think of shifting such costs onto the backs of the brave women who have sacrificed so much and so selflessly. Moreover, this budget sends a terrible message to our past and present servicewomen at a time when we should be doing all that we can to appreciate and to reward their contributions. The United States made a promise to these women and to every woman before them who has worn the uniform. This Nation promised to take care of them, and the Republican budget just does not fulfill that promise.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 80, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 58 on the Millender-McDonald amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 64 on the motion to recommit H.R. 4939 with instructions, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 59 on the Conaway amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 56 on the Sabo amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 57 on the Neugebauer amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 55 on sustaining the ruling of the chair with regard to the point of order against the DeLauro amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Rudy Castruita of California on the occasion of his retirement as San Diego County Superintendent of Schools. I have known Dr. Castruita since 1994 when he became County Superintendent in San Diego and have always been impressed by his tireless commitment to children and the students across the school districts he served. He dedicated his career to furthering the cause of education and to helping our kids learn. Prior to his appointment as Superintendent in San Diego, he served with great distinction for six years as superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District where he was recognized for his tremendous leadership and innovation. Among the recognition his leadership has brought to local schools are several highly coveted California School Boards Association Golden Bell Awards for leading edge efforts to address the educational needs of students, the Federal Blue Ribbon Schools designation and California Distinguished Schools designation. He has also received the prestigious Marcus Foster Award from the Association of California School Administrators and in 1992, he was named California's Superintendent of the Year. As a San Diegan with deep roots in the public schools there, I took great pride in the role that Dr. Castruita played as Chair of the statewide effort to set standards for high school graduates in the state of California. This endeavor was perhaps the most important state education reform of the past several decades. He also served on the State Superintendent's Advisory Committee for implementing the Public School Accountability Act of 1999, a law that helped to instill rigorous standards into the curriculum and educational delivery system throughout the state. He also served on the Governance Task Force of the statewide committee to develop a Master Plan for Education, and State Reading First Committee. Dr. Castruita's abiding personal commitment to eradicating illiteracy across our community has made the San Diego County Office of Education a beacon in literacy programs and distinguished him as a prominent leader in this important Issue. I have had the pleasure, along with a number of state leaders including governors from our state and other state constitutional officers to utilize the San Diego County Office of Education's state- of-the-art regional technology center that exists today because of Dr. Castruita's efforts. His enthusiasm and interest in cutting-edge technology to lift student achievement resulted in his being named one of 12 ``tech savvy'' superintendents in the nation by eSchool News. In San Diego, we are also proud of Dr. Castruita's notable commitment to national leadership, serving on several national boards including Scholarship America and the prestigious Education Research & Development Institute. He was nominated by the President of the United States and appointed by Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education, to serve on the President's Advisory for the Department of Defense Schools, which are military- based schools overseas. He has also built impressive and lasting relationships in the community with our public schools that includes work with the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, San Diego United Way/CHAD, the San Diego YMCA, the Natural History Museum, Laurels for Leaders, and the California Center for the Arts. His work on behalf of California's children and our schools has made a real difference across our state, and we all owe him a great debt of gratitude for championing these issues. It is hard to imagine substantive discussions of education policy in our state without Dr. Castruita involved. He has provided me with tremendous guidance and advice on these important issues on countless occasions and his wise counsel will be missed. I wish both he and his family well in his retirement. Dr. Castruita continues a lasting and impressive legacy of commitment to public education within California and across the country as he begins other endeavors that will undoubtedly contribute to the well being of children and public education. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker for allowing me this time to honor such a great leader and important figure to education.

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 67 on the motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4297, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 47 on the Doggett amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' (By unanimous consent, Mr. Boehner was allowed to speak out of order.)

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 53 on the Jefferson amendment, H. Amdt. 719 to H.R. 4939, to increase by $1,900,000,000 funds for Community Development Block Grants, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment Offered by Mr. Taylor of Mississippi

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 48 on the Garrett amendment H. AMDT. 714 to H.R. 4939, to reduce by $5,000,000 funding for Diplomatic and Consular Programs, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment Offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 45 on the Burton amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment Offered by Mr. Capuano

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 52 on the Jefferson amendment H. Amdt. 718 to H.R. 4939, to increase funding for Community Planning and Development by $2,000,000,000 and reducing funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency by the same amount, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Jefferson

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 49 on the Garrett amendment, H. Amdt. 715 to H.R. 4939, to strike funding for Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment Offered by Ms. Foxx

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during roll call vote No. 40 to order the previous question on H. Res. 725, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 41 on H. Res. 725, providing for consideration of H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 43 on the Gilchrest amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during roll call Vote No. 44 on H.R. 4944, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 65 on final passage of H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 63 on the Lee amendment to H.R. 4939, to prohibit the use of funds from being available to implement, administer, or enforce the termination of the hotel and motel emergency sheltering program established by FEMA for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 62 on the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 4939, to prohibit the use of funds from being available to make or guarantee a loan under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act other than a loan for which the borrower is charged an interest rate in accordance with section 7(c)(5), I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' personal explanation

Mrs. DAVIS of California

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 42 on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 190, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. DAVIS of California

Mr. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 66 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 2320, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against: