Bob Filner

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on several occasions when we begin a discussion about taking care of veterans, we sometimes bypass or overlook the veterans' survivors. Today, I am introducing a bill to help our veterans' survivors. Mr. Speaker, survivors often serve as the backbone of our veterans. In many instances while they are serving and giving selflessly to their nation, their loved ones are holding down the homefront for when they return. However, I believe that current law shortchanges our survivors. This bill speaks directly to the appropriateness of our current regulations regarding Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) because it would shorten the time period for which a veteran must be rated continuously totally disabled immediately preceding his or her death before the veteran's survivors are eligible for these benefits from 10 years to 1 year. DIC is a monetary payment made to survivors of our service-connected disabled veterans. Survivors deserve to be taken care of when their spouse who served and gave their all has died. Given the current backlog in the VA's claims processing system, veterans wait years, even decades, to receive their final rating. In the case of totally disabled veterans, the resulting benefits may, unfortunately, come too late. These delays should not negate our responsibility to these veterans' families and this legislation would ensure that their survivors receive the benefits due to them. Mr. Speaker, when we provide for and protect our veterans we must always remember to include their survivors. They cannot be an afterthought. When I was the Chair of this Committee, I always remembered our veterans' survivors and made them a priority. I hope we continue that tradition in this Congress. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have introduced H.R. 917, the South San Diego County Water Reclamation Project of 2011, to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation's participation in Phase I of the South San Diego County Water Reclamation Project. Southern California must reduce dependence on water that is imported from outside the region. The South San Diego County Water Reclamation Project is a comprehensive and coordinated approach by public water agencies to address this need by sustainably using groundwater resources through desalination of brackish water, and recycling of wastewater for non-potable uses. When fully implemented, the Project will reduce dependence on imported water by approximately 18,600 acre-feet (or 4 billion gallons) per year, enough to provide service to about 37,000 households. This will minimize supply and environmental impacts to the region's imported water sources, the Colorado River, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta. This water supply would also mitigate the potential impacts of planned or emergency water supply interruptions. The Project includes the following components: A Regional Concentrate Conveyance Facility would serve existing and future desalting and water reclamation facilities. The proposed Conveyance Facility will facilitate continued and expanded operation of the existing Reynolds Desalination Facility and potentially other facilities that may be developed in the region. An additional groundwater desalination facility in the Otay River Valley. A Recycled Water Membrane Bioreactor Facility to treat wastewater and produce recycled water that will be constructed as part of Phase II of the project. The South San Diego County Water Reclamation Project will highly leverage scarce Federal resources. The maximum Federal share would be 25 percent, so each Federal dollar authorized would be matched by a minimum of three nonfederal dollars. In addition, no Federal funding would be used for the operation or maintenance of these facilities.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, the Fair Access to Veterans Benefits Access Act of 2011, H.R. 810, is a bill that would help our veterans who file appeals before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. This legislation would require the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims to hear appeals of administrative decisions by veterans denying them benefits when circumstances beyond their control render them unable to meet the deadline for filing an appeal. This legislation would extend the 120-day limit for the filing of an appeal to the Court of Veterans Appeals after a final decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals upon a showing of good cause for such time as justice may require. The bill considers as good cause the inability of a veteran to file within the 120-day period due to a service- connected disability. The bill would make such extension applicable to appeals of final Board decisions issued on or after July 24, 2008. This bill also requires the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reinstate untimely appeals already dismissed as a result of the court's failure to toll the filing period for good cause. Under the current system, the veterans' appellate processes are very difficult to navigate especially since so many veterans are pro se at that stage. Additionally, as TBI and PTSD are the signature disability of the current conflicts of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn, many veterans are also filing claims and appeals while suffering from a physical or mental disability. The adherence to rigid filing deadlines by the CAVC potentially has resulted in the denial of benefits for many veterans. My bill seeks to rectify this issue by allowing the veteran to show ``good cause'' for missing the filing deadline if related to the veteran's service-connected disability. It is clear to me that Congress intended to allow equitable tolling when it created the veterans' court. The VSO community wholeheartedly supports this legislation and its costs are likely discretionary. I urge my colleagues to support this bill without delay to give these veterans the access to justice that they deserve.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to speak about a bill that I have just reintroduced, ``Providing Military Honors for our Nation's Heroes Act'' (H.R. 545), to reimburse expenses of volunteers who provide military funeral honors at veterans' funerals. Because thousands of service members are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan while thousands of World War II and Korean War veterans die each day, there is simply not enough military to provide a proper seven-person honors detail for these funerals. Some families of veterans have had to ``make do'' with a CD playing ``Taps.'' I am saddened by this outrageous situation and determined to provide proper military funeral honors for all families who request them. This bill will allow reimbursement to volunteers from members of veterans' service organizations (VSOs) and other organizations approved by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA). Transportation costs and other expenses, such as cleaning uniforms, incurred in providing funeral honors details will be reimbursed. A second change will allow reimbursement to details that are requested by funeral homes and the VA, as well as the Department of Defense, the current practice. Currently, members of VSOs and other volunteers can assist the military by providing a color guard, pallbearers, a bugler or firing party, but the law does not address ceremonies in which VSOs render honors without military representation. My bill will allow volunteers to be reimbursed even when no military person is a part of the honor guard. This change will increase the number of honors details available to families. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently reintroduced H.R. 719, which will award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol. During World War II, the volunteer members of the Civil Air Patrol-- civilian men and women ranging in age from 19 to 81--provided extraordinary public and combat services at a critical time of need for the nation. Civil Air Patrol members used their own aircraft to perform a myriad of essential tasks for the military and the entire country, including attacks on enemy submarines off the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The Civil Air Patrol was established on December 1, 1941, one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. After performing exemplary service in WWII, the Civil Air Patrol was chartered by Congress as a non- profit, public service organization and in 1948 as the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The Civil Air Patrol was initially mobilized in response to a massive German Navy submarine offensive off the east coast of the United States that targeted oil tankers and other critical shipping. As 52 tankers were sunk by enemy submarines between January and March 1942 alone, neither the Navy nor Army had sufficient resources to patrol and protect the coastline--threatening the entire war effort. The Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol undertook the challenge of protecting our sea lanes and supporting the military's efforts at this critical time. From March 1942 until August 1943, more than 40,000 volunteers at 21 Civil Air Patrol bases stretching from Maine to Texas coordinated thousands of patrols, investigations, and convoy missions. Heroic Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol aircrews were responsible for attacking 57 submarines--destroying or damaging two--as well as reporting nearly 200 submarine positions, 17 floating mines, and 91 vessels and 363 survivors in distress. In addition to the work of its Coastal Patrol, the Civil Air Patrol also established itself as a vital wartime service to the military, states, and communities across the nation. These brave volunteers engaged in an impressive array of missions including border patrol, forest fire patrol, courier flights for mail and urgent deliveries, emergency transportation of personnel, search and rescue, and various military support duties. Overall, during the war the Civil Air Patrol undertook tens of thousands of missions and logged hundreds of thousands of flight hours in defense of our country. The Civil Air Patrol's WWII service came at the high cost of 64 fatalities and 150 aircraft lost. Indeed, the courage and sacrifice of the estimated 200,000 civilians in the Civil Air Patrol exemplifies the spirit and dedication of an entire generation who were willing to risk their lives for America and the cause of freedom. In recognition of this remarkable volunteer service and commendable record, H.R. 719 will award a single gold medal collectively in honor of the WWII members of the Civil Air Patrol. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the valuable wartime service rendered by the civilian volunteers of the Civil Air Patrol by supporting this legislation.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have just reintroduced legislation intended to honor the service and sacrifice of many of the members of the United States Armed Forces who fought in Vietnam, the ``In Memory Medal for Forgotten Veterans Act'' (H.R. 540). Those so recognized are veterans who have died as a result of their service in the Vietnam war but who do not meet the criteria for inclusion on The Wall of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund has a program called ``In Memory'' which has raised money for a plaque that has been placed near The Wall. The plaque honors ``those who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service.'' No names are on the plaque, but all names are kept in the ``In Memory Book'' at a kiosk near The Wall, and families can order a copy. My bill adds to this recognition by presenting the families of these veterans with a medal, to be known as the ``Jesus (Chuchi) Salgado Medal'' to be issued by the Secretary of Defense. Chuchi Salgado was an outstanding individual who lived in my congressional district, whose exposure to Agent Orange ultimately led to his death. His relatives continue to live in my district. Because of the boundaries that have been set for the names to be placed on The Wall, Chuchi and many, many other Vietnam veterans are not honored in this manner. Now, with new veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, we are all taking a second look and a closer look at how veterans from past wars have been treated. While we must care for our newest veterans, we must also take this opportunity to do right by veterans of Vietnam, along with those of other past wars and conflicts. I invite my colleagues to join with me in honoring these veterans. It is critical that we remember those who have fought so gallantly and sacrificed their lives for our freedom!

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced the Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2011 (H.R. 718), which would direct the Social Security Administration (SSA) to revise outdated, medically inaccurate criteria for determining Social Security Disability and waive the Medicare two-year waiting period for people disabled by Huntington's Disease (HD). HD is a devastating, hereditary degenerative brain disorder that causes total physical and mental deterioration. Eventually, every person affected by HD becomes completely dependent on others for care. Today, 30,000 Americans are known to have HD and an additional 200,000 have a fifty percent chance of inheriting the disease from an affected parent. The debilitating symptoms make it challenging, if not impossible, for the person with HD to remain employed, resulting in a loss of income and employer-sponsored health insurance benefits. Revise Outdated Criteria to Improve Access to Disability Benefits Due to the SSA's dependence on outdated medical guidelines, individuals experience long delays and multiple denials of critical Social Security benefits, forcing patients to wait years for benefits while HD's destructive cognitive, behavioral and physical symptoms rob the person of their ability to work and live independently. The HD Parity Act directs the Commissioner of SSA, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and HD experts, to update the agency's guidelines. Eliminate Medicare Waiting Period Rather than Accepting Impasse Access to critical health care is often denied in the early stages of disease due to an individual's inability to work, thereby causing the loss of their employer-based insurance. During the required Medicare two year waiting period, individuals with HD see their physical and mental health deteriorate rapidly necessitating more costly care later. Passing the Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2011 will direct the SSA to revise the medically inaccurate criteria used to determine Social Security Disability and eliminate the Medicare two-year waiting period. These two critical reforms will directly impact the welfare and lives of individuals and their families impacted by this rare and devastating disease.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced a private bill (H.R. 731) on behalf of two extraordinary young women, Alusia and Ledia Zace. Alusia and Ledia were brought here from Albania by their parents in 1996 when they were 8 and 9 years old. Their fathers' legal bid for political asylum was denied in 2004 due to the incompetence of their lawyer and was deported in 2007. This injustice forced the girls and their mother to care for themselves. With no legal representation, the girls face deportation. The sisters have excelled academically in the U.S. and are attending university in San Diego. They can neither read nor write their native language and would most certainly be condemned to a life without opportunity should they be forced to return to Albania. The U.S. is their home and they should be given an opportunity to finish college and contribute to the only community they know.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced a private bill (H.R. 730) on behalf of a Vietnam War veteran, Fernando Javier Cervantes. Mr. Cervantes legally entered the United States when he was only 7 years old and has not lived anywhere else since. He has been a legal resident for over 48 years and is married with two children. In 1972, Mr. Cervantes voluntarily enlisted into the United States Army and honorably served during the Vietnam War, earning a National Defense Service Medal. At the time of enlisting and throughout his service, Fernando was told that he would become a U.S. citizen by serving in the Armed Forces. In July 2008 he was surprised to hear that this was not the case and immediately applied for citizenship. Unfortunately, Femando's application was denied due to a minor drug possession charge that he received during his difficult readjustment period after returning from Vietnam. Today, Mr. Cervantes is drug-free and is committed to recovery. If deported to Mexico, Mr. Cervantes would not have any familial or community support to recover from his addiction. His entire family resides in the United States as either legal permanent residents or United States citizens. Mr. Cervantes demonstrated permanent allegiance to the United States by voluntarily enlisting into the United States Army and putting his life on the line to make sure we have our freedom. We must allow him the freedom to live in the country he served.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a very important bill that I just re-introduced, the Keeping Families Together Act of 2011 (H.R. 713). This bill would reinstate judicial review to the immigration process, end the practice of automatically detaining productive members of our society for minor crimes they committed years ago and for which they have already served with their sentence, and allow immigrants previously deported to appeal that decision. This law has allowed stable, long-term families headed by legal immigrants to be torn apart because of minor crimes committed years ago--crimes for which the offender has already served their sentence! You may recall that a basic legislative attempt to fix this law was passed by the House of Representatives in the 106th Congress, but it was never taken up by the Senate. The time has come to reverse the unfair so-ailed ``immigration reforms'' instituted by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Please join me in supporting this critical legislation to restore justice to our immigration process, by co-sponsoring the Keeping Families Together Act of 2011.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently learned that the unemployment rate for veterans ages 18-24 in the U.S. is 22 percent, double the rate for civilians, and up from about 14 percent three years ago. This is unacceptable! It is because of this alarming trend that I have recently reintroduced my bill, the Let's Re-Up the Troops-to-Cops Program Act (H.R. 715). This legislation authorizes grant funds to be used for the Troops-to- Cops Program, a grant program that provides funds to local law enforcement agencies for the hiring of recently separated members of the Armed Forces to serve as law enforcement officers. The Troops-to- Cops program was one of several grant programs available through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program that was authorized in 1994 under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and administered through the U.S. Department of Justice through 1999, when it was disbanded. Despite an increase in job training programs, employer education efforts and post-9/11 GI Bill improvements, unemployment for veterans is still too high. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the root of the problem is lack of experience and ability to effectively translate military skills. Many skills acquired in the military can be transferred to civilian law enforcement and security jobs. My bill will provide local law enforcement agencies funding to recruit, train and hire honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers. With thousands of troops set to return this year, it is essential that we be prepared to give them an opportunity to serve their communities. I urge all my colleagues to join me in reaffirming our nation's commitment to care for our servicemembers and veterans by supporting this bill. Our veterans have invested in our country and this legislation invests in our veterans!

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a very important bill that I just introduced, the Save Our Border Communities Act (H.R. 717). The bill would reimburse police, firefighters and other first responders for services associated with U.S. Ports of Entry. Local law enforcement and first responders are bearing the brunt of protecting our borders. The Federal Government has not reimbursed border towns for border-related incidents and its drain on local police, firefighters and first responders is increasingly unbearable. In Imperial County, California, the already strained local police department has announced that due to the high volume of border-related requests, it will no longer respond to most calls from the U.S.-Mexico Port of Entry. The local police department stated they cannot afford to process and transport the numerous individuals with out-of-county misdemeanor warrants to the local jail. Now, instead of being brought to justice, these individuals are set free. It is about time the Federal Government pays its fair share! I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring all our border communities are fully reimbursed for protecting our nation's borders by supporting the Save Our Border Communities Act.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have recently reintroduced the Firefighting Investment, Renewal and Employment (FIRE) Act (H.R. 716). This bill would authorize the Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grants for each of the next 5 years, at $210 million per year. Our firefighters put their lives on the line each and every day without hesitation. And yet in many of our communities, we have outdated and deteriorating fire stations or simply do not have enough fire and emergency facilities as was found in a study of San Diego County. That is why I am reintroducing the FIRE Act. I urge my colleagues join me in standing up for our firefighters by co-sponsoring this critical legislation.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently reintroduced my bill, H. Con. Res. 18, which urges the President to authorize the transfer of ownership to the Philippines of the bells taken in 1901 from the town of Balangiga in the Philippines. The bells are currently displayed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In the 110 years since the taking of the bells occurred, the citizens of the United States and the Philippines have shared many historic and political ties. The Philippines was a staunch ally of the United States during World War II. Brave Filipino soldiers were drafted into service by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, fought side-by-side with American soldiers, and were instrumental in the successful outcome of World War II. Filipino soldiers also fought alongside our soldiers on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam. Since the independence of the Philippines in 1946, the U.S.- Philippine relationship has been largely one of friendship and cooperation. The Philippines is a republic patterned basically on our own system of government. The Philippines is a valuable trading partner of the U.S. and an ally in the war against terrorism. Approximately 2.9 million Americans are of Filipino descent and close to 250,000 United States citizens reside in the Philippines. The acts of conflict that surrounded the taking of the bells of Balangiga are not consistent with the friendship that is currently an integral part of the relationship between our two nations. The Republic of the Philippines has repeatedly requested the return of the bells. They are an important symbol to the Filipino people, who wish to have them re-installed in the belfry of the Balangiga Church. I believe that it is time to resolve this situation in order to solidify the bonds between our two nations. My resolution would honor and promote the positive relationship our counties enjoy. As the years pass, I am confident that relations between our two nations will grow even stronger. To that end, the United States Government which has final disposition over the bells of Balangiga should transfer ownership of the bells to the people of the Philippines as a measure of good will and cooperation.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently reintroduced H. Res. 94, Siding with the Pro-Democracy Movement in Iran. This resolution addresses Iran's nuclear threat as Tehran seeks a nuclear weapon in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, has started to enrich uranium to 20 percent, and has plans to build 10 additional uranium enrichment facilities. Moreover, Tehran's continued support for terrorism and its suppression of dissidents require the United States to adopt a new approach. Over the past year, millions of ordinary Iranians have taken to the streets to participate in anti-government demonstrations, despite growing suppression and risk of arrest, imprisonment and execution. The ruling regime, for its part, has resorted to a brutal campaign of murdering protesters such as Neda Agah Soltan in the streets and in its many gallows. My resolution calls on the U.S. government to side with the Iranian people's endeavors by refraining from a selective approach to Iranian opponents who struggle for democracy and human rights. It invites the Secretary of State to join our British and European allies in ending the blacklisting of Iran's main opposition, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) by removing them from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). Removing the PMOI from the FTO list is not only the right thing to do, but it also sends the right message to Tehran. The Iranian regime and its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have rebuffed offers of negotiations, and stepped up their intransigence in very sphere of contention with the United States, including human rights, the nuclear weapons program and support for terrorism in the region. In November, I sent a joint bi-partisan letter along with a number of my colleagues to Secretary Clinton. In this letter we brought the resolution to the attention of the Secretary of State and stated that over 100 House Members have already urged her to delist the PMOI. In our letter, we noted that ``Iranian officials should not be seen as exploiting an unjust US designation to further justify imparting their draconian punishments on prisoners of conscience.'' The PMOI's continued designation in the US has deadly consequences. I invite my colleagues to support this resolution and send a message to the world that violations of human rights will not be tolerated!

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a very important bill that I just reintroduced, the Visitors Interested in Strengthening America (VISA) Act of 2011 (H.R. 714). The bill would grant humanitarian visa waivers to children and their parents for one day in order to attend a medical appointment, an education or cultural event. In the past, the Port Directors at the border had the authority to grant humanitarian visa waivers to certain children and their accompanying parent. Now, children who come without a visa must be turned away. The fee to enter into the United States for 24 hours is an insurmountable amount of money for these poor children and their families. These children pose no threat to our national security. They are merely trying to receive medical treatment or to enjoy a school field trip to one of our Nation's numerous tourist attractions. This legislation does not affect the number of legal or illegal immigrants living in the United States--the children and accompanying adults visit for one day and then return to their homes. It gives Port Directors the authority to use their discretion, and issue waivers to children that pose no security threat to our country. This is commonsense legislation that allows us to cultivate relations with our Mexican neighbors, while keeping those who would do us harm out of our country. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this critical legislation, by cosponsoring the VISA Act.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Chair, did you know that the bill cuts millions of jobs from our economy, the cuts to the Clean Water Act, the cuts to the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program, and other infrastructure cuts? In my State of California, we are losing, just on this bill, almost 50,000 jobs; the total jobs around the country, almost 300,000. Come on. This is not a way to both cut the deficit and keep our economy going. I happen to represent a border district. I represent the whole Mexican border with California. Madam Chair, I'm sure Mr. Flake knows very well the border in Arizona, and he knows that in this bill, the GSA construction and acquisition funding line has been eliminated-- eliminated--$894 million worth. I don't know about in the State that Mr. Flake represents, but I'll tell you, in California, you are eliminating the several-hundred- million-dollar modernization of two of the biggest border crossings in our country and the biggest one in the world. In my district, 300,000 people cross the border every day legally-- legally--and they're crossing mainly for jobs and for shopping. We all know we need to make that far more efficient, that crossing, so people can spend money in our country and create jobs. You have eliminated the whole modernization moneys out of this budget, and I'm sure it affects Arizona. The Otay Mesa crossing where we have all the commercial crossings in California, gone. The biggest border crossing in the world in San Ysidro, gone. Another big one in my district, Calexico, California, gone. We are leaving billions of dollars on the table, Madam Chair, for jobs in our economy. If we don't have efficient border crossings, we don't have trade. We don't have shopping. We don't have the crossings that are legal that we all want to encourage. These modernization programs went directly at that, not only in California but in Texas, in New Mexico, and I'm sure in Arizona. And yet all those jobs that are created by more efficient crossings are now thrown away. So the gentleman from Arizona who wants to give up efficient border crossings in his State, you might tell him, Madam Chairman, I don't think that's a good way to run for the Senate. Taking $18 million out of a defense budget of $612 billion is pretty miserly stuff. It's not even a good symbol for a guy running for Senate in the United States. We should really go after what the Republicans said they are going after. Let's end the war in Afghanistan, save trillions of dollars off the deficit. But more importantly, the cuts that we have seen in infrastructure in this country, the cuts we have seen in GSA are costing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs. This is a job buster. It should be defeated. I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Chair.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. FILNER. I'm a little disappointed in the amendment by my friend from Arizona. This is our biggest deficit hawk in the House. He wants to cut $18 million from the Defense budget. Did I get that number right, Mr. Flake, $18 million? I mean, we've got a $612 billion Defense budget. What are you, .000001 percent of the budget? Not good for a Senator from Arizona, Mr. Flake. I would say let's really get at this. Man, you want to cut the budget? Republican President and Republican Congress funded a whole two wars off the budget. We're talking about trillions of dollars added to our deficit. You don't go after those, Mr. Flake. We need you to go after those. We will gladly support you. Eighteen million out of a $612 billion budget? I'll vote for the amendment, and you know, whenever I vote for one, you win. But let's go after some real stuff in that Pentagon budget, and let's not go after jobs as this underlying bill does. Come on. You know, you talked about jobs the whole campaign. I haven't seen a pro-job bill yet from the Republicans in this Congress, and yet this bill, H.R. 1, cuts millions of jobs. I am on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. Flake. I don't know if you know about it, but the cuts to the clean water moneys-- Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 541, the Pay for All Your Undocumented Procedures (PAY UP!) Act. This bill will provide payments for emergency services provided to undocumented aliens. The costs of uncompensated emergency care for undocumented immigrants are sky high and border area hospitals, physicians, and ambulance providers are choking on the costs that they have to eat. My bill, the Pay for All Your Undocumented Procedures (PAY UP!) Act, is the first step to solving this problem which is well known in border communities. Undocumented aliens receive emergency services in a hospital and yet that hospital is not reimbursed for these services. My bill will ensure that the healthcare providers are reimbursed for the emergency services they provide. My bill makes permanent a provision of the Medicare Modernization Act that provided payments to eligible providers for procedures for undocumented aliens. The bill authorizes $250 million a year to reimburse eligible providers for this care. Two-thirds of the funds are divided among the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on their relative percentages of undocumented aliens, the last third is divided among the 6 states with the largest number of undocumented aliens.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced H.R. 542, the Consumer Protection Act. This bill will repeal the Learned Intermediary Doctrine and allow the American consumer to sue a drug manufacturer directly. Medications are meant to heal us, but sometimes, something goes horribly wrong, and the medicine that was supposed to make us better, only makes us sicker. When this happens, Americans should be able to hold the drug manufacturers responsible. However, because of a court precedent called the Learned Intermediary Doctrine, Americans are not able to sue the manufacturers of the drug that harmed them. According to the Learned Intermediary Doctrine, a patient cannot sue the drug manufacturer on the grounds that their doctor (the Learned Intermediary) should be able to warn them about the possible negative side effects. However, in this day of direct to consumer advertising, so often Americans get their information about medication from the manufacturer's advertising, or off the internet. H.R. 542, the Consumer Protection Act, will repeal the Learned Intermediary Doctrine, allowing the consumer to sue the drug manufacturer directly. If drug manufacturers are able to advertise directly to the consumer, then they must be held responsible when something goes wrong.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced H.R. 543, legislation to include certain Department of Homeland Security facilities, such as ports of entry, under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes, PILT, program. Since 1976, communities have received payments from the Interior Department's PILT program to help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable Federal lands administered by the BLM, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. However, all along our Border, communities are not reimbursed for land that the Department of Homeland Security uses for ports of entry. The community often provides resources and services to these facilities without reimbursement from the government. My bill, H.R. 543 provides support for these communities. H.R. 543 amends existing law to include certain Department of Homeland Security facilities, such as ports of entry, under the PILT program. Providing access to these payments will help these communities with the important work they provide along our borders.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently reintroduced The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act (H.R. 327). The purpose of this bill is simply to give law enforcement status to all federal law enforcement officers. Many federal officials--for example, the Border Patrol--are classified as ``law enforcement officers,'' for the purposes of determining salary and retirement benefits. But many other officers-- such Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Inspectors, Veterans' Affairs Police Officers, U.S. Mint Police Officers, Internal Revenue Officers, Customs and Border Protection Seized Property Specialists, and police officers in about two dozen other agencies--do not have equal pay and benefits status. The tragic irony is that the only time these officers are classified as law enforcement officers is when they are killed in the line of duty. Then their names are inscribed on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial right here in Washington. Let me say that again. It is only when they are killed that they are called law enforcement officers, and that is a tragic irony. My district encompasses the entire California-Mexico border and is home to two of the busiest border crossings in the entire world, so I am very familiar with the work of our nation's border inspectors. They wear bulletproof vests, they carry firearms, and, unfortunately, have to use them. Most importantly, these inspectors are subject to the same risks as other officers with whom they serve side-by-side. However, they are not eligible for early retirement and other benefits, which are designed to maintain a young and vigorous law enforcement workforce that we need to combat those who pose life-threatening risks to our society. The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act will provide well-deserved pay and retirement benefits to the officers protecting our borders, our ports of entry, our military and veterans' installations and other sensitive government buildings. The costs of these benefits would likely be off-set by savings in training costs and increased revenue collection. The bill will also reduce turnover, increase yield, decrease recruitment and development costs and enhance the retention of a well-trained and experienced workforce. The simple fact is that these officers have dangerous jobs and deserve to be recognized as law enforcement officers, just like others with whom they serve, side by side, and who share the same level of risk. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act. The valiant officers who protect us deserve no less.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced the Department of Defense and Civilian Law Enforcement Coordination Act of 2011 (H.R. 324). My bill would amend federal law to permit Department of Defense law enforcement officers to better coordinate and cooperate with civilian law enforcement agencies. I drafted this legislation in cooperation with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) because many DOD law enforcement officers in my district have informed me that they are prohibited from basic coordination and cooperation with civilian agencies near DOD facilities. We need to ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement are able to work together to apprehend criminals and to prevent and solve crimes. I hope that my colleagues will join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced the Safety, Efficiency and Accountability in Transportation Projects through Public Inspection Act of 2011 (H.R. 328) to require public employees to perform the inspection and related essential public functions on all state and local transportation projects. My bill is intended to ensure that public safety is protected, transportation funds are not wasted and projects are delivered in a timely manner. On transportation projects, the construction inspector is the eyes, ears and voice of the public. Inspectors ensure that construction and seismic standards are met, that projects meet safety requirements and that the materials used will stand the test of time. In short, inspectors are there to ensure that the motoring public gets what they pay for and public safety and the public interest are protected. When the construction inspection function is outsourced to a private company, there is no longer a representative of the public on the job site. In this circumstance, one private company is charged with the task of inspecting the work of another private company. This creates multiple conflicts for the private inspector. First, the private inspectors' primary obligation and responsibility is not to the public, but to the success and profitability of his company. Because the private construction company whose work they are inspecting on one project may be a business partner on a future project, private inspectors may also feel pressure from the private contractor to take steps that ensure larger profits for both firms. I am concerned that these conflicts have led private inspectors to cut corners and overlook problems that threaten public safety, increase costs and delay projects. There are many examples in which public safety has been threatened by the use of private inspectors, including Boston's ``Big Dig'' (where a concrete slab from a tunnel ceiling fell and killed a woman), the L.A. Redline subway (Hollywood Blvd. collapsed), the 8-805 Interchange in San Diego (10,000 defective welds on a seismic retrofit), the Connecticut I-84 project (hundreds of drains that lead nowhere). Contracting out public inspection work also does not save money! Defective work requires extensive repairs, and inevitably, the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill. Comparative studies have also found that contracting-out engineering, design, and inspection costs more than to do this work in-house, and none of these studies found that consultant engineers were less expensive. Factors that contribute to consultants' excessive costs include the lack of competitive bidding, cost-plus provisions in contracts, salary differentials between the private and public sectors, profit margins of from 10% to 15%, and additional costs connected with selecting and supervising consultants. Failure to have public construction inspectors has also delayed projects in the past and will undoubtedly do so in the future. One such example is the privately inspected $12 million carpool bridge connecting the San Diego (405) and the Costa Mesa (55) Freeways. The project was to have been completed in April 2003. However, work was halted in August 2002 when chunks of concrete were falling from the structure and many cracks were noticed. Contractor and private inspector errors were later discovered and the carpool ramp did not open until January 2005. The public and the federal government understand what's at stake. In a 2006 California public opinion poll, 71% of those surveyed said they want state engineers to inspect the construction of state highways; only 20% found private firms acceptable for the task. David M. Walker, the Comptroller General of the United States, stated: ``There's something civil servants have that the private sector doesn't, and that is the duty of loyalty to the greater good--the duty of loyalty to the collective best interest of all rather than the interest of a few. Companies have duties of loyalty to their shareholders, not to the country.'' I hope my colleagues will join me in protecting the public good by co-sponsoring this important legislation.