Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to join my colleagues, Congressmen Vargas and Collins in this Special Order regarding international religious freedom. As the daughter of Assyrian and Armenian immigrants who fled the slaughter of Middle East Christians in the early 1900's, the importance of religious freedom is interwoven into the history of my family. I remember vividly the stories my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles told me of what they faced; how they fled; about the family members murdered; of Churches being burned; and all because they were Christians. Tragically, we are witnessing history repeating itself today in the Middle East. Violence and instability has once again placed Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East in exceptional peril, a population which has already dwindled considerably in Iraq and Syria. There is a systematic extermination of the world's oldest Christian communities taking place. First it was Al Qaeda when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Today it is the barbarians of ISIS who are responsible for horrific acts, including torture, murder and displacement of thousands, many with whom I share the same ethnic background. From the founding of our nation, religious freedom has been a pillar of our democracy and it remains a cornerstone of our democracy and a value we espouse to peoples around the world. The situation for religious minorities in the Middle East remains particularly desperate and many are losing hope. As a maelstrom of violence and religious persecution ravages this part of the world, we can and must lead. First, there is a desperate need for humanitarian aid for the displaced inside and outside established refugee camps. Second, the United States should provide adequate safety for the few remaining religious minority communities in Syria and Iraq. Third, we should ease the bureaucratic burdens which hold up immigration applications for religious minorities who wish to seek refuge in the United States. Today they are made to wait years due to our tedious refugee processing through the State Department and Department of Homeland Security. Religious leaders across ecumenical lines have come together and firmly stated their support for religious freedom. Pope Francis said in January, ``. . . Freedom of religion and freedom of expression are both fundamental human rights.'' The United States must step up, lead by example, and make good on our belief that religious freedom is a precious one.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2898 because it upends decades of state and federal water law and needlessly pits water users against one another. In the midst of California's worst drought in its history, this bill mandates that certain interests come out ahead of others. California is currently in the fourth year of a punishing drought that has forced every resident to conserve water, has caused millions of acres of agricultural land to be fallowed, and places us at risk of major wildfires. But, this crisis should not be used as an excuse to permanently upend a century of water law and countless protections for threatened and endangered wildlife. H.R. 2898 will weaken or override decades of state and federal law, including California state water law and the California Constitution; the state and federal Endangered Species Acts; the National Environmental Policy Act; and the San Joaquin River Settlement Act. This list should set off alarm bells for any proponent of states' rights or cooperative federalism. For over a century, the federal government has deferred to state water law whenever possible, but this bill unwinds that history entirely. And what do we gain by discarding a century of water law and species protections? According to the Department of Interior which manages the Delta collaboratively with the state, this bill ``will not provide additional meaningful relief to those most affected by the drought.'' Local conservationists predict that this bill would cause a complete extinction of the Delta smelt and would accelerate the decline of the wild salmon and steelhead runs in California which have been an important part of the Northern California economy since the mid-19th century. Instead of taking up partisan legislation that will start a new water war in California, Congress should be providing immediate relief to drought-impacted communities and should invest in long-term drought resilience measures such as conservation, recycling, and desalination, which would drastically increase the amount of water available to farmers in the Central Valley. This irresponsible bill would override science-based management of the delicate Delta infrastructure and would gut several of our most bedrock environmental laws. For these reasons I strongly oppose this legislation and I urge my colleagues to vote against it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I was not present during roll call vote number 434 on July 13, 2015, due to a flight delay. On roll call vote no. 434 I would have voted YES.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this legislation which would significantly exacerbate climate change by gutting the President's plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants. My home state of California is currently experiencing the worst drought in its history, and scientists say it is made more severe because of the warming climate in California. High temperatures have caused record low levels of mountain snowpack and water evaporation in reservoirs, rivers, and soil. This means mandatory water cuts, fallowed fields, and higher risk of wildfires as we move into the heart of the dry season. With continued increases in global temperatures due to carbon emissions, droughts like California's will become even more common across the country. These extreme drought and wildfire conditions are not unique to California. States across the west including Oklahoma, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon are experiencing ``extreme'' or ``exceptional'' drought conditions, according to the USDA. This is a crisis across the West and scientists tell us that it will be more common as man-made carbon emissions continue to warm the planet. The costs of failing to address climate change grow with every year that we fail to take action. In 2012 alone, climate-related disasters including drought, wildfires, and severe weather including Hurricane Sandy, cost the economy over $100 billion. That works out to a $300 tax on every American, and it will continue to increase as severe weather becomes more common and sea levels continue to rise. On top of those disasters, the White House Council on Economic Advisers calculated that failing to meet our climate goals will cost the U.S. $150 billion per year in reduced economic output, and each decade of ignoring climate change increases the costs of mitigation by 40 percent. In the absence of Congressional action to address climate change, the Administration is taking strong action which I support. But the bill before us today would allow the Clean Power Plan to be blocked indefinitely and would set a dangerous precedent of allowing states to opt out of national air quality standards. The Supreme Court has upheld the authority of the EPA to regulate carbon emissions on three separate occasions since 2007, yet this bill would allow lawsuits to permanently delay the Clean Power Plan. The bill also removes the federal backstop that has made the Clean Air Act one of the most successful environmental laws in our nation's history, cutting harmful air pollution by 90 percent since its passage in 1970. Under the premise of protecting ratepayers, who will actually see their bills go down under the Clean Power Plan, this legislation is a major step backward for our country's efforts to fight climate change. I urge the rejection of this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, our country's federal toxic chemicals regulation has been broken for decades. Since Congress first passed the Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976, the EPA has placed restrictions on only five of the estimated 60,000 chemicals in commerce, and since the EPA's ban on asbestos was overturned in 1991, zero chemicals have been regulated. This law is in dire need of reform. While toxic chemicals regulations have floundered for decades at the federal level, California and several other states have passed important laws to protect communities and notify consumers. These state laws, including California's landmark Proposition 65, have motivated many companies to reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals from their products. It was with these state laws in mind that I offered an amendment at the Energy & Commerce Committee markup of this legislation to clarify its impact on state laws. My amendment was based on the recommendations of 12 State Attorneys General who wrote to the Committee: California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Iowa, Oregon, Maryland, Vermont, Hawaii, Maine, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. I'm pleased that the final version of the bill before us today, as well as the Committee Report on the bill and the Congressional Record, addresses several of the issues I raised along with the 12 Attorneys General who wrote to the Committee with their concerns. First, the final text of the bill includes my amendment's clarification to ensure states can continue to enforce existing laws unless specifically preempted. Without this change, the bill could have been interpreted to only grandfather ongoing enforcement actions, rather than all existing state laws and regulations. Second, the sponsor of the bill, my good friend Mr. Shimkus of Illinois, clarified in a colloquy with me that no existing state laws or requirements will be preempted by this bill unless they actually conflict with federal requirements. Mr. Shimkus also confirmed on the Record that the bill is not intended to interfere with the operation of Proposition 65 or the ability of the State of California or private citizens to enforce that landmark law. Third, the multi-state Attorney General letter called for further clarification that the bill is not intended to preempt state monitoring, information reporting, and disclosure laws. These important laws help keep regulators and communities informed about the presence of toxic chemicals. I'm pleased that the Committee Report states that ``the Committee expects that these type of requirements would generally fall outside the scope of preemption.'' With these important changes and clarifications, the preemption and savings provisions in the TSCA Modernization Act are substantially improved and I appreciate the willingness of Chairmen Upton and Shimkus to make these improvements to the bill. The TSCA law is long overdue for reform and with the above changes included in the TSCA Modernization Act, I support it and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, as you know, over twenty-five years ago, the people of California enacted a landmark ballot measure known as Proposition 65. Proposition 65 requires persons who expose individuals to certain chemicals that are known to cause cancer or reproductive harm to display a clear and reasonable warning. Proposition 65 enforcement actions by the state and by private parties have played a crucial role in reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. This state law operates somewhat differently from other state laws related to chemicals, so I want to ask specifically about the protection for Proposition 65 in the bill. It is my understanding that nothing in this bill would preempt or otherwise impact enforcement of Proposition 65 or the ability of the State to continue to authorize citizen enforcement of Proposition 65, unless there is an actual conflict. Is that correct?

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the purpose of engaging Chairman Shimkus in colloquy. First, I would like to thank Mr. Shimkus for working with me during and after markup to make sure that the important role of states in chemical regulation is preserved. In the absence of a strong federal chemical regulatory program, many states have taken action to protect their citizens from toxic chemicals. Strong laws are in place in many states to address chemicals including BPA, flame retardants, and more. Through the Committee process, explicit protections have been added for state laws and state common laws, including important changes taken from the amendment that I offered at markup. My amendment was drafted in response to the letter sent by 12 State Attorneys General, which I would like to introduce now into the Record. Again, I appreciate you working with me to address the points they raised. It is my understanding that nothing in this bill would preempt or otherwise affect existing state laws or private rights of action, unless there is an actual conflict between a federal requirement and a state requirement. Is that correct?

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, and just to be clear, the waiver provision in Section 18(b) of current law, which could protect additional state laws, is not changed by this bill?

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 805, the DOTCOM Act. Over the past two decades, U.S. policy through Republican and Democratic administrations has supported the transition of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to the private sector. The DOTCOM Act which passed the Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote last week carries on this bipartisan tradition by ensuring that the IANA transition supports and enhances the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance; maintains the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet domain name system; and does not replace the role of the NTIA with a government-led or intergovernmental organization solution. Importantly, the DOTCOM Act as amended by the Committee, represents a sensible alternative to the funding restriction included in the House- passed Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues to see that the DOTCOM Act becomes the law of the land--rather than enacting a counterproductive limitation of funds which sends the wrong message to the international community. I thank Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone and Congressman Shimkus for their bipartisan cooperation on this bill and I urge my colleagues to support the DOTCOM Act, which is a vote for the multi- stakeholder model of Internet governance and a global, open Internet, free from governmental control.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 235, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act. Now, whether it is communication, commerce, business, education, research, access to the Internet is today an integral part of the everyday life of millions of Americans and people around the world. And we take great pride in this because this is an American invention. Just this month, the GAO released a new report which found that broadband affordability continues to be the most frequently identified barrier to adoption. Now, this whole issue of taxation for access to the Internet, this is not the collection of taxes across State lines. That is another issue. There are over 10,000 taxing agencies in the United States today. Imagine if we, you, your constituents, everyone in the country who uses the Internet has to pay for access to the Internet every time they go to use it, that they would be taxed on that. So, the temporary, or the moratorium bill that we have, now this one makes it permanent. This is a bipartisan effort. Over 200 cosponsors in the Congress are on it. We want to encourage expanded broadband adoption. If you tax it, you are going to shrink it. And I think in the communities that are of lower economic means, this is going to hurt them even more. We need to do everything we can to ensure that Internet access is universally affordable. This bill is an important component of that effort by permanently eliminating the taxation of Internet access. The current moratorium, as my colleagues have said, expires October 1, and we want to be ahead of that to keep the door open, but no taxation to access. I want to salute the chairman, Chairman Goodlatte. We are good friends. We have worked on other efforts. As I said, this bill has nearly 200 bipartisan cosponsors and strong support of the communications, Internet, and e-commerce industries. So I would urge all of my colleagues to support this, and understand that, from the ground up, we want to expand the use of broadband in our country for every community. Whether they are poor, whether they are rural, whether they are in a city, whether they are middle class individuals, we don't want to weigh the Internet down with taxation of average people in this country. It would really be unfair, and I think it would smother the Internet as we know it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas A. Kelley, an extraordinary constituent of California's 18th Congressional District who has been chosen to receive the STAR Award by AchieveKids on June 20, 2015, in Palo Alto, California. Tom Kelley is a 1962 graduate of Rice University where he earned both B.A. and B.S. degrees, and a 1967 graduate of the Stanford Business School. He founded Thomas A. Kelley & Associates, an executive search firm in 1969, on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. The company's mission was to bring together management teams for high technology start-ups. While performing executive searches, Thomas A. Kelley & Associates invested in pre-public client companies and achieved financial success. While managing the ever-growing business, Tom continued to personally conduct searches through the life of the company. In 2002, the company became Thomas A. Kelley Investments, which manages the Kelley Family Trust and performs pro bono consulting for tech entrepreneurs. In addition to his extraordinary success in business, Tom Kelley gives generously of his time, resources and considerable talents to many non-profit organizations. He was honored as a ``Stanford Associate'' for his volunteer work at the Stanford Business School; served on the Board of the Portola Valley School District; served on the Board of AchieveKids; and co-founded the Portola Valley Theatre Conservancy. Tom is also a member of the Board of Trustees, Inner Circle and a Producer at TheatreWorks of Palo Alto. He has served on the Board of Valley Presbyterian Church, the Board of the Chambers Landing Homeowners Association, and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Glimmerglass Networks. He served his country as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring Thomas A. Kelley as he receives the STAR Award. Tom and the entire Kelley family are respected, admired and loved in our community for their civic contributions and leadership. It's a privilege to honor him and a blessing to have his friendship and that of his extraordinary family.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2578. The Internet is one of the great American success stories in our history, benefitting billions of people around the world. Congress has a longstanding and bipartisan commitment to a global, open Internet, free from governmental control. Our support for the decentralized, multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance has enabled its growth as an unparalleled platform for economic opportunity and democratic participation. Last year the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that the U.S. government would take an important step to transition technical functions of the domain name system to the multi-stakeholder community. This transition of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to the private sector has been a U.S. policy goal for two decades, through Republican and Democratic administrations alike. Since NTIA's announcement, the multi-stakeholder community has stepped up to the plate to craft a transition proposal and enhanced accountability measures needed in the absence of U.S. government stewardship. NTIA has articulated specific criteria for the transition proposal and made clear that any plan must advance our vision of a free and open Internet. Despite this significant progress, H.R. 2578 includes language that blocks NTIA from using funds to relinquish the IANA functions. This limitation of funds is not only unnecessary, it sends the wrong message to the international community. Our diplomats point to the IANA transition announcement as a key factor helping us win allies and support for an Internet free of government control. As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce stated, this funding restriction ``could result in harm to U.S. businesses and Internet users as a whole.'' While I oppose this provision in H.R. 2578, I agree with my colleagues that the IANA transition must be conducted carefully and transparently. That's why I'm working with my Republican colleagues at the Energy and Commerce Committee on legislation to ensure NTIA implements the IANA transition consistent with the principles we all support. Our legislation will address concerns about transparency and accountability, while reaffirming our commitment to the transition. While I cannot support the funding restriction in H.R. 2578, I stand ready to work with my colleagues on responsible oversight of the IANA transition.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to David Bruce Goldberg, who was born in Minnesota on October 2, 1967, and died tragically at age 47, on May 1, 2015, in Mexico. I had the privilege of representing him as a constituent residing in Menlo Park, California. Dave graduated from the Blake School in Minneapolis and earned a BA degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard University. After graduating from college, Dave worked for Bain and Company and Capitol Records. In 1994, he founded Launch Media which was later acquired by Yahoo in 2001. In 2007 he joined Benchmark Capital, and in 2009, joined SurveyMonkey, where he was CEO at the time of his death. Dave Goldberg was a successful entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and technology and music industry executive. He ran several online consumer businesses, and served as a director of many companies and organizations, but he was far more than the sum of his great professional success. Dave has been praised as warm, humble and kind, and described as a genius, a leader and a man of courage. He was a sports fan, was passionate about education and children, and was lovingly described as a cross between a teddy bear and a tiger. I've had the pleasure and privilege to work with Dave's wife, Sheryl Sandberg and the following are her poignant words expressed on the day of his funeral. They speak volumes about the goodness and greatness of this extraordinary man: ``I want to thank all of our friends and family for the outpouring of love over the past few days. It has been extraordinary--and each story you have shared will help keep Dave alive in our hearts and memories. I met Dave nearly 20 years ago when I first moved to LA. He became my best friend. He showed me the internet for the first time, planned fun outings, took me to temple for the Jewish holidays, introduced me to much cooler music than I had ever heard.'' ``We had 11 truly joyful years of the deepest love, happiest marriage, and truest partnership that I could imagine . . . He gave me the experience of being deeply understood, truly supported and completely and utterly loved--and I will carry that with me always. Most importantly, he gave me the two most amazing children in the world.'' ``Dave was my rock. When I got upset, he stayed calm. When I was worried, he said it would be ok. When I wasn't sure what to do, he figured it out. He was completely dedicated to his children in every way--and their strength these past few days is the best sign I could have that Dave is still here with us in spirit.'' ``Dave and I did not get nearly enough time together. But as heartbroken as I am today, I am equally grateful. Even in these last few days of completely unexpected hell--the darkest and saddest moments of my life--I know how lucky I have been. If the day I walked down that aisle with Dave someone had told me that this would happen--that he would be taken from us all in just 11 years--I would still have walked down that aisle. Because 11 years of being Dave Goldberg's wife, and 10 years of being a parent with him is perhaps more luck and more happiness than I could have ever imagined. I am grateful for every minute we had.'' ``As we put the love of my life to rest today, we buried only his body. His spirit, his soul, his amazing ability to give is still with us. It lives on in the stories people are sharing of how he touched their lives, in the love that is visible in the eyes of our family and friends, in the spirit and resilience of our children. Things will never be the same--but the world is better for the years my beloved husband lived.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in extending our deepest condolences to Dave's wife Sheryl Sandberg, to their children, his mother, brother and entire family and many friends. As President Obama said in his message of condolence, ``His skills as an entrepreneur created opportunity for many, his love for his family was a joy to behold, and his example as a husband and father was something we could all learn from. We're heartbroken by him leaving us far too soon, but we celebrate a remarkable legacy.'' Our community, our country and our world are stronger and better because of the life and work of Dave Goldberg. May this tribute and the thoughts and prayers of countless others be a source of comfort and strength to his beloved Sheryl, their children and all the family.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, dear friend and extraordinary American, Gaston Francis Periat. Gaston was born in San Francisco, California on September 19, 1922, and died peacefully in Santa Cruz, California, on December 11, 2013, at the age of 91. Gaston was raised in San Mateo and graduated from San Mateo High School. He worked in his family's Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge dealership, Periat & Sons, until World War II, when he entered the Army. Gaston was taught to speak French by his Swiss grandmother, and he spent much of the war in France where he acted as a liaison between the U.S. Army and French businesses. In February 1944, Gaston married Margaret (Peggy), and in 1946 the couple settled in San Mateo and began their family. In 1970, Gaston and Peggy moved to Pescadero where Gaston enjoyed riding the trails on his horse Yuckabuck. After selling the family business in San Mateo, the family moved to Gilroy, where Gaston bought Gavilan Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge. Upon his retirement, he returned to Pescadero where he served on the Pescadero Municipal Advisory Committee. During his final years, Gaston lived in the retirement community of Dominican Oaks in Santa Cruz. Gaston Periat was a golfer, a story teller, a member of the Elks Club, a Rotarian and a friend to an extraordinary number of people. He was helpful to all in need and had the ability to make every person feel special. I was privileged to work with Gaston Periat during my time on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. He was unfailingly polite, concerned, professional and prepared, and we continued to work together during my tenure in Congress. He was a great and good man who made extensive contributions to our community and he will always be missed by those who had the good fortune to know him. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in extending our condolences to Gaston Periat's wife of 69 years, Peggy, and to his daughter, Judy Periat; son Dan Periat and his wife, Andrea Periat; son Ken Periat and his wife, Kimberly Periat; daughter Janet Periat and her husband, Frank Higgins; granddaughter Adriana Goericke and her husband, Jan Goericke, and great-granddaughter Mia Goericke; granddaughter Camile Steinmetz and her husband, Carl Steinmetz, and great-granddaughter Lola Steinmetz; granddaughters Renee Periat and Nadine Periat; grandson Aaron Periat and his wife, Kim Periat, and great-grandson Maximus Periat. May our tribute to Gaston, as well as our thoughts and prayers be a source of strength and comfort to his entire family. Our community and our country were made stronger and better by Gaston Periat.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Matthew Chow, Minku Lee and Helen Wu on being selected to represent the United States in New York City and seven cities in China this summer as part of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. Each year, Carnegie Hall selects the most talented young musicians from across our country to assemble an orchestra which shares music with the world. In 2015, the National Youth Orchestra will consist of 114 members and three of them are from the 18th Congressional District of California which I'm privileged to represent. Matthew Chow, a violist from Los Altos, Minku Lee, a cellist from Palo Alto, and Helen Wu, a violist from Saratoga, are three of the nation's finest young musicians selected to play for the National Youth Orchestra. That each of them were selected is a testament to their superb skills. That a Congressional District would produce more than one orchestra member is extraordinary. After training and performing in New York City, Matthew, Minku and Helen will represent the United States this summer, performing in seven cities in China. Each musician is a source of great pride to their families, their schools, their teachers, our entire community and their Congresswoman. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Matthew Chow, Minku Lee and Helen Wu on their extraordinary accomplishments. I congratulate and wish each of them every success as they perform with the National Youth Orchestra in New York City and China, proudly representing the best of the United States of America.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I was not present during roll call vote numbers 171, 172, 173 on April 23, 2015, due to my participation in the Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Armenia for the centenary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. I would like to reflect how I would have voted: On roll call vote no. 171 I would have voted YES. On roll call vote no. 172 I would have voted YES. On roll call vote no. 173 I would have voted YES.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary leader and a valued friend of many years, William A. Nack. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, raised in San Francisco and has been a resident of San Mateo County, California for more than half a century. For the past 16 years he has been the able and highly regarded Business Manager and Executive Officer of the Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County, AFL-CIO, and retired on March 1, 2015. Bill Nack demonstrated his leadership qualities at a young age when he attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1962. He earned an Associate Degree in Aeronautics, served in the U.S. Naval Reserves, and served as a Journeyman Mechanic with United Airlines where he began his close association with the union movement. He served as a union shop steward for 15 years, challenging management and championing workers. He served on union boards and committees and was a founding member of a coalition between the unions of machinists, pilots and flight attendants. Bill Nack was also a delegate to the San Mateo County Central Labor Council and chaired its Legislative Committee. From 1987 to 1989, Bill Nack was the Assistant Business Manager for the Central Labor Council of Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, and from 1989 to 1999 served as the Deputy Executive Officer of the Santa Clara and San Benito Building and Trades Council. In 1999, Bill became the Business Manager and Executive Officer of the San Mateo Building and Trades Council, leading 14,000 union construction crafts men and women. During his time as Executive Officer he negotiated 45 Project Labor Agreements and Letters of Commitment, representing more than $16 billion in projects that employed union members. He ensured that all of the projects were environmentally responsible and respectful of union members, their wages and working conditions. Bill has served with great distinction on many state and local boards and commissions, and is the devoted husband of Rayna Lehman and the proud father of their twin sons, Patrick and Benjamin. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House to join me in honoring the extraordinary work of Bill Nack, a great and good man, and a person of enormous integrity, and wish him every blessing in the years to come. He has strengthened and bettered our community and our country with the work of his life and I will always be grateful to have worked with him and to call him my friend.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Simon Peter ``Pete'' Worden as he retires from NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California as Director. Pete Worden was born in 1949 in Michigan. He earned his BS degree from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Arizona. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 1, 1971, and rose through the ranks to become Brigadier General in September, 2000. He retired from active duty in May, 2004. While on active duty he served in many critical positions, including serving as an advisor in the Executive Office of the President. At the time of his retirement he was Director of Development and Transformation, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. After retirement from the Air Force, Pete Worden was a Research Professor of Astronomy, Optical Sciences and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona and was a consultant to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In May, 2006, Pete Worden became Director of NASA Ames, where he served with great distinction. During his tenure at NASA Ames many small, low-cost satellites were launched and new thrusts in quantum computing were made. Pete can be rightly proud of the revitalization of space biology and the development of synthetic biology, and of Ames' work on the International Space Station. I had the opportunity and privilege to work closely with Pete Worden and I know him to be a gracious man of brilliance and integrity. He worked with me and GSA on a competitive bid process that resulted in the selection of Planetary Ventures, LLC as the lessee to restore historic Hangar One and the management of Moffett Federal Airfield. Because of this work, Moffett Federal Airfield will remain a federal facility, managed under a public-private partnership. This Silicon Valley hub for disaster preparedness will be maintained and available as needed for federal purposes and significant taxpayer dollars will be saved. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House to join me in honoring Pete Worden for his extraordinary service to our country which has made us a stronger, better nation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and work of an extraordinary American, Thomas D. Sege. Thomas Sege was born on May 17, 1926, in Novi Sad, in the former Yugoslavia. He died on March 3, 2015, at his home in Woodside, California. At the age of 12, Thomas Sege fled Yugoslavia with his parents and brother. He spent his youth in New York City and earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Columbia University. He first worked at Sperry Gyroscope in New York, and then in 1963 became General Manager of EIMAC in Silicon Valley. EIMAC merged with Varian Associates and Thomas Sege became its CEO, serving in that position from 1981 to 1990. He was a pioneer in radio transmitting tube technology and in klystron tube technology. Thomas Sege was devoted to his family and friends, and was an avid reader, a passionate gardener and traveler. He loved to play chess, bridge and Scrabble, and spoke multiple languages. He was also a poet and a philosopher. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease for the last 12 years of his life but never lost his spirit and humor. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House to join me in extending our heartfelt condolences to Thomas Sege's son Ronald, his daughter-in-law Gina Sege, his daughter Kathleen McNamara, and his grandchildren Scott McNamara, and Christopher, Jonathan, Georgia, and Alexi Sege. I ask my colleagues to honor the life of this exceptional man who made enormous contributions to our country, making us a better people and a stronger nation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and extraordinary work of Keith C. Sorenson. Born on September 4, 1921, in Elsinore, Utah, he died in Redwood City, California, on March 20, 2015, at the age of 93. Keith Sorenson was born and raised on a farm in Utah, the youngest of four children. He said ``There's nothing better than living on a farm. If you ever really work on a farm, anything else you ever do seems easy.'' He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Utah, where he met his wife, Maxine Swinson. The family moved to Redwood City, California, and Keith joined a local law firm. Keith Sorenson joined the San Mateo County District Attorney's office in 1949, and became District Attorney in 1953. He held the post and that of County Counsel for three decades until his retirement in 1982. During his tenure he hired Sandra Day O'Connor, a Stanford Law School graduate who was unable to obtain employment as an attorney because she was a woman. He helped found the One Hundred Club, an organization that supports the families of slain police officers. Keith Sorenson was widely known and respected for his integrity and strong work ethic. Current District Attorney Stave Wagstaffe praised him, saying ``He instilled in all of us the standard that justice and doing the right thing was the only choice for a prosecutor and that other considerations such as politics were irrelevant.'' I am deeply saddened by Keith Sorenson's passing. He was a highly regarded public official, a man of enormous integrity, a trusted friend and mentor, and a source of great inspiration to me and countless others. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House to join me in honoring the extraordinary life and contributions of Keith Sorenson, a great and good man, and in extending our most sincere condolences to his son, Thomas. Keith Sorenson made San Mateo County, the state of California and our country stronger and better, and he will be missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and work of a dear friend and revered colleague, Carol Burgess Emmott. Born on November 11, 1946, Carol died peacefully at her home in Hillsborough, California on February 25, 2015, at the age of 68, in the arms of her loving husband, Cameron. Carol was born and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1969 with a double major in History and Political Science. In 1975, while working for the California Senate Pro Tem George Moscone, she earned her Ph.D. from Oklahoma University in Health Policy, studying the California Legislature through UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies. After completing her Ph.D., Carol contributed to the health policy research agenda of the Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco. After her tenure at UCSF, Carol accepted a political appointment in Washington, D.C. working under Joseph A. Califano, then Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. During her tenure there she managed a third of the health care legislative agenda for the Carter Administration. Carol returned to California as Chief Deputy Director of the State Health Department, working under Director Beverlee Myers. She was later the Deputy of the San Francisco Department of Public Health under Mayor Dianne Feinstein, where she shaped policies to respond to the AIDS crisis. Carol's commitment to California's public safety net facilities led her to found and serve as CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals. During her long tenure at CAPH, Carol and her colleagues were successful in bringing billions of dollars of state and federal funds to help support California's health care safety net, facilitating the passage of legislation to rebuild the majority of these vital facilities. After 15 years in federal, state, and local health policy, Carol complemented her career by contributing to private sector health care through senior level executive recruiting. During the course of her 25- year career, Carol was a partner at three of the top four international recruiting firms: Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, and Russell Reynolds Associates. Carol's last 10 years were dedicated to building and leading the Health Services Practice at Russell Reynolds Associates. She was successful in recruiting many of the top leaders in American health care across a broad swath of the industry, including academic medical centers, major health plans, significant health systems, and prominent health policy positions. Carol's dedication to executive development was manifested in her leadership forums in California and Massachusetts, and her CEO/ Innovator's Roundtable. Devoted to her professional colleagues, Carol focused especially on mentoring the emerging young women leaders across the industry. The recent creation of the Carol Emmott Fellowship stands as a testament to her commitment to the success of women in the health care industry. Carol was deeply devoted to her family. Cameron, her husband of 45 years, was the love of her life. Having met in high school, they were soul mates in all endeavors, most particularly in the nurturing of their son, Parker Emmott. While Carol was a dedicated wife and professional, she was a devoted mother, always prioritizing her connection to Parker, his friends, and his evolution as a unique and talented individual. Carol was predeceased by her parents, Robert Banks Burgess and Mary Gary Bedwell. In addition to her husband and son, she is survived by her sister, Betsy Wright, and many other beloved family members and friends. Carol was special in every way. She knew how to be a friend. She used her intellect for the betterment of humanity, and she was beautiful inside and out. Once you met Carol, she became unforgettable. I am blessed to have known her, to have learned from her, to have been inspired by her, and to have had her as a trusted friend and colleague. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life and work of Carol Burgess Emmott and in extending our deepest condolences to her magnificent family. She strengthened our community and our country, and bettered the lives of countless Americans.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of an extraordinary American, Barbara (Bobbie) Aymar Earle who passed away in Essex, Connecticut on December 10, 2014, in the company of her five children. Barbara was born in New York City on January 1, 1925, the daughter of Gordon Aymar, a noted illustrator and portrait painter, and Margaretta Aymar, a civic leader. She attended The Thomas School in Rowayton, Connecticut, Barnard College, and the Julliard School of Music in New York City. She played the harp professionally for a short time before marrying the great love of her life, Harry W. Earle, of Norwalk, Connecticut, upon his return in 1944 from Air Force service in Europe during World War II. She devoted the next thirty years to raising her family, to civic activities, and to writing. She co-founded Person-to-Person, the Connecticut-based volunteer organization that provides clothing, food and other necessities to those in need. She also spent many years as a hospice volunteer, the organization that assisted her during the final days of her life. More than forty years after she first started college, Bobbie returned to earn her Bachelor of Science degree, graduating summa cum laude in 1983 from the University of Washington/Oshkosh, at the age of 58, with a major in human services and a minor in music. ``Give Us This Day'', a book of her poems will be published in 2015. Bobbie is remembered for her love of life, music, gardening and poetry, her devotion to family and friends, and for her deep and lasting influence on the communities where she lived. Her daughters, Penrhyn Cook and Barbara Ballard; her sons, David, John and Gordon; and her sister Carol Armstrong survive her. She was the proud grandmother of eleven grandchildren: Matthew and Jonathan Earle, Geoffrey Bailey, Joby and Derry Earle, Margaret and Harry Kaplan-Earle, Gordon Earle, Benjamin and Emily Ballard, Naima Guzman, and one great granddaughter, Katherine Guzman. She was predeceased by her brother, Gordon Aymar, Jr. and by Harry Earle, her husband of 56 years. I met Bobbie in 1966 when the Earle family moved to California from Connecticut. Her husband Harry had been named Vice President of Marketing at the newly formed J.W. Clement Company in Palo Alto and he hired me to be his assistant. From that time and throughout the rest of our lives, Bobbie and Harry remained dear friends. She enhanced and blessed my life with her boundless gifts of wisdom, laughter, poetry, gardening tips, charity, faith, integrity, humility and her sheer joy of life. Across all the decades, I have never known a finer person. A conversation with Bobbie was always a beautiful experience, sprinkled with sparks of divinity. Simply put, there was no one like her. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life and work of Barbara Aymar Earle and in extending our deepest condolences to her magnificent family.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015 (H.R. 734) is a reflection of what our Subcommittee can accomplish when we work together in a bipartisan manner. Earlier this month, Chairman Walden, Rep. Scalise and I introduced H.R. 734 as a way to streamline Congressionally-mandated reporting requirements under a single, industry-wide report. I've consistently supported this goal because it frees the FCC to focus on its ultimate mission: to protect the public interest and promote competition. These reports and the data collected serve a critical role in supporting the FCC's decision-making and our work as policymakers on issues like broadband deployment and adoption, cable pricing and assessing the state of competition. As part of the Committee's markup of H.R. 734, two important clarifications were made. First, in our effort to consolidate reporting requirements, the legislation clarifies that the FCC's `706' Report does not in any way impact or alter the explicit grant of broadband authority that the court affirmed in the Verizon case last year. Second, the legislation preserves the FCC's obligation to examine how retransmission consent fees impact a consumer's monthly bill. For all these reasons, I support and urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 734.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I was not present during roll call vote numbers 77, 78, 79, and 80 on February 12, 2015, and roll call vote numbers 81, 82, and 83 on February 13, 2015, because I was participating in a cybersecurity summit with the President in my Congressional District. I would like to reflect how I would have voted: On roll call vote no. 77 I would have voted NO. On roll call vote no. 78 I would have voted NO. On roll call vote no. 79 I would have voted YES. On roll call vote no. 80 I would have voted NO. On roll call vote no. 81 I would have voted YES. On roll call vote no. 82 I would have voted NO. On roll call vote no. 83 I would have voted YES.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary American, Carl Djerassi, a chemist, novelist, poet and philanthropist who excelled in each of these fields. He was the child of two physicians, born in 1923 in Vienna, Austria, and he died on January 15, 2015, at his home in San Francisco, California. Dr. Djerassi is best known as the ``Father of the Pill'', the birth control pill which brought about a cultural revolution. He is less well known for his part in the development of antihistamines to treat allergies, and the synthesis of cortisone. Educated at Kenyon College and the University of Wisconsin, his first job was with the Swiss company, Ciba. From there he went to Syntex, then a small company in Mexico. He became a professor at Stanford University in 1959, and founded Zoecon, a manufacturer of non-toxic pesticides in 1968. He published over 1,200 articles and 7 monographs on chemical subjects. Dr. Djerassi's brilliant work in chemistry was only a part of his life story. He published numerous poems, short stories, five novels and many plays. He founded the Djerassi Resident Artists Program in honor of his daughter, Pamela. He was the recipient of countless honors, including the National Medal of Science and the Wolf Prize in Chemistry. He was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and its Institute of Medicine, and he received 32 well-earned honorary doctorates. Dr. Djerassi was married three times, most recently to the late Diane Middlebrook, a professor of literature at Stanford University. Dr. Djerassi leaves his son Dale, an independent filmmaker, and his grandson Alexander Maxwell Djerassi. He will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to know him. His life's work was a gift to humanity, and his presence made the world a better place. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the extraordinary life of Carl Djerassi, who was a national treasure, and extend our sympathy to his family.