Gabrielle Giffords

Mr. GIFFORDS

Mr. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, on November 7, 2007, I missed four votes. Had I been present that evening, I would have voted as follows: ``No'' on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 3685, the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA)--vote No. 1056. ``Yea'' on final passage of H.R. 3685, the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA)--vote No. 1057. ``Yea'' on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Con. Res. 236, Recognizing the close relationship between the United States and the Republic of San Marino--vote No. 1058 ``Yea'' on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 801: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3688) to implement the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement--vote No. 1059.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, on November 8, 2007, I was absent from the House. Had I been present that day, I would have voted as follows: ``Yea'' on final passage of H.R. 3688, the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement--vote No. 1060. ``Yea'' on agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. 806, Providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3222, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes--vote No. 1063. ``Yea'' on agreeing to the Conference Report for H.R. 3222, Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes--vote No. 1064. ``Yea'' on Agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. 802, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3355) to ensure the availability and affordability of homeowners' insurance coverage for catastrophic events--vote No. 1066. ``Yea'' on the Motion to Instruct Conferees regarding H.R. 3074, the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations for FY 2008--vote No. 1067. ``Yea'' on Representative Klein of Florida Amendment No. 17 to H.R. 3355, the Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007--vote No. 1068. ``No'' on the following Amendments: Representative Roskam's Amendments 6 and 13, Representative Manullo's Amendment and Mr. Shays' Amendment to H.R. 3355, the Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007--votes No. 1069, 1070, 1071, and 1072. ``No'' on the Motion to Recommit with Instructions H.R. 3355, the Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007--vote No. 1073. ``Yea'' on final passage of H.R. 3355, the Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007--vote No. 1074. ``Yea'' on Agreeing to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3043, Making appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes--vote No. 1075.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of tax cuts for true American heroes: our combat troops, our veterans, and our firefighters. Last month I introduced H.R. 3808, the Combat Troops Tax Relief Act. I am very pleased that the first provision in the HEART Act is taken from my tax bill. This bill honors the patriotic commitment of military families such as the Heberts in southern Arizona. Army Specialist Adam Hebert is currently serving at Fort Huachuca. He is married with two children, and soon will be deployed abroad for combat service. This bill will give the Heberts concrete tax relief. It will permanently protect their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit. In southern Arizona and across the United States, we must honor our heroes with true tax relief. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me to pass H.R. 3997, the HEART Act.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Hardrock Mining Reclamation Act. Long overdue, the time for mining law reform has finally arrived. The 1872 mining law was enacted 40 years before Arizona was even a State. At that time, it encouraged the development and the expansion of the American West. My district of southern Arizona had a town of Bisbee that during the turn of the century actually had its own stock exchange and was the largest community from St. Louis to San Francisco. The copper star on the State of Arizona's flag symbolized the importance when we achieved statehood of the copper industry. However, times have changed. Today's West now depends on the health, as well as the conservation, of our fragile environment as much as it relies on mining. H.R. 2262 is a solid first step. It provides impact assistance to mining communities and establishes a practical and a modern approach to reclaiming and restoring the land as well as water resources. As this legislation progresses, I further encourage Members to look specifically at the royalty provisions. We do not want to undermine the financial viability of U.S. mining. Our modern, high-tech economy continues to depend on minerals, and this is the importance of making sure that we have a hardrock mining industry that is strong and able to supply all of these minerals. I commend Chairman Rahall for his work. I commend Chairman Costa for crafting a new mining law that reflects modern values, as well as goals that benefit taxpayers, the public lands, as well as the mining industry. This is an important piece of legislation, long overdue; and I encourage Members on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act. Small business, as we all know, is the lifeblood of our communities. Small businesses are responsible for creativity, innovation, and community investment. I honestly believe that a community that has strong small businesses is a strong and vibrant community. This legislation is going to give small businesses in my home state, southern Arizona, a chance to be competitive with federal contracts, whether it's in Oro Valley down to Green Valley or Tucson all the way to Bisbee and to Douglas. For example, OfficeSmart in Sierra Vista, was founded in 1993 by Glenn McDaniel, a veteran, along with his wife, Diane. OfficeSmart has 12 employees and nearly 1,000 commercial customers in southern Arizona. They compete for federal contracts and to provide office supplies to Ft. Huachuca. This bill is going to keep federal contract benefits targeted at local small businesses like OfficeSmart in local communities. It also honors our commitment to disabled veterans. We know with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan there will be more and more veterans. This legislation also kick-starts the SBA's Women's Procurement Program. As a former president, CEO, and small business owner myself, I know the importance of small businesses and how difficult it is to compete. I strongly support passage of this bill and I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support it. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman for your hard work on this committee.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 1483, amending the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act. Early this year, I introduced the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act with Congressman Grijalva. I am pleased that our bill has been included in H.R. 1483. By designating the Santa Cruz Valley as a National Heritage Area, this beautiful and thriving region will receive modest Federal support for promoting the area's history, cultural resources and indigenous wildlife habitat. We are ensuring that the Santa Cruz Valley visitors can experience the unique watershed and diverse societies it has supported, Native American tribes, descendants of Spanish ancestors, American pioneers, and, now, members of our diverse Sonoran Arizona communities. Widely supported from Marana, Arizona, to Patagonia, the Santa Cruz Valley will protect private property rights and public use of this federally managed land. So I support this bill. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill to support preserving Arizona's National Heritage.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the 179,000 children in the State of Arizona who need Congress to stand up for them. Ten million American children need SCHIP, known as KidsCare in my home State of Arizona, because it changes their lives. For example, when Collin Bollinger was born, his mother, Sherry, did not have health insurance. Sherry was gainfully employed, but she could not afford her company's high insurance premiums and did not qualify for Medicaid. After Collin's second birthday and a series of ear infections, Sherry scraped and borrowed enough money for private insurance to cover Collin at the high cost of $150 per month. At times, Sherry chose her son's health care over paying the rent and having a full dinner. Then she discovered the KidsCare program; her premiums then fell by 90 percent per month. With the money that Sherry saved, she could even afford her own health insurance. Now Collin is a straight A student. He plays football at Cienega High School and leads a happy and healthy life. His mother credits KidsCare.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to vote today in support of H.R. 2095, the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007. This legislation includes important safety improvements that will positively impact railroad workers and passengers. H.R. 2095 recognizes that railroad workers have tremendous responsibilities. Americans rely on them to transport commercial goods that are critical to our economy and to keep passengers and the public safe. The bill promotes a safer and healthier work environment and requires railroad companies to devise and implement fatigue management plans. Additionally, this bill will ensure that railroad employees who handle hazardous waste moving through our communities are properly rested and alert. I am pleased that concerns about the safety of locomotive engineers are reflected in H.R. 2095 which calls for a formal study of locomotive cab design. This study will take into account the health effects of locomotive seats, diesel-fume inhalation for lead and trailing locomotives, and other cab working conditions. H.R 2095 also includes protections for whistle-blowers who report unsafe conditions and personal injuries. I thank Chairman Oberstar for bringing this legislation forward and ask my colleagues to join rite in voting for its passage.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, last week, I introduced the Combat Troops Tax Relief Act. From Fort Huachuca in Arizona to Iraq and Afghanistan, members of our armed services make the defense of our great Nation their number one priority. With unflinching honor and dedication, our military families inspire us by sending their husbands and their wives and their sons and daughters off to war to protect our freedoms. My bill calls on Congress to honor their patriotism and commitment to the military families with more than rhetoric. This bill would give them concrete tax relief. This Congress is setting new priorities, including policies impacting military families. This bill does more by cutting taxes for middle-class military families. It increases the standard tax deduction for our soldiers and protects military families' eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care Tax Credit. Military families in southern Arizona and across the country deserve nothing less.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, 46 years ago, space was the next frontier and President Kennedy focused our Nation on the space outside our planet's atmosphere. Today's Apollo mission is focused right here on planet Earth. Our challenge is the Renewable Energy Revolution. And nowhere is that call to action being answered better than in Southern Arizona's ``Solar-con Valley.'' In my home state we are once again proving that American innovation can meet any challenge. There, the leading solar experts who compose my Solar Advisory Council published a detailed assessment of Southern Arizona's solar landscape from research to market development and consumer awareness. Building on some of their recommendations, today I am introducing the Renewable Energy Assistance Tax Act. My bill ensures that we do not let the sun set on valuable tax incentives for consumers and businesses who invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. By extending these tax credits for 8 years, we will spur the innovation and investment vital to creating a reliable market for new solar technology. Please join me answering this call to action and supporting solar and energy efficient technology.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, an important piece of legislation. A few years ago, Arizona had been a national leader in home prices. With the growing subprime mortgage crisis, Arizona is now experiencing increasing record foreclosures. In May, new foreclosures in my State were 141 percent higher than they were just 2 years ago. Some mortgage lenders are working responsibly with homeowners to adjust their mortgages to fairly reflect the decreased home values. They are adjusting their lending policies in response to the current housing market. Congress has to do the same. We should not penalize homeowners by taxing them their discharge debt. This bill encourages market-based decision; it creates fundamental tax fairness. This bill responsibly helps Arizona families avoid foreclosures and to remain in their homes. Fewer foreclosures will help stabilize property values and protect our local and our regional economies. I proudly cosponsored this bipartisan legislation that is endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the President's veto of the KidsCare bill, known as SCHIP here in Washington. His refusal to provide funding to over 82,400 uninsured children in the State of Arizona is simply unconscionable. Today, in my State, one out of every five kids currently has no health insurance. We rank among the five highest States in the entire country. By vetoing the KidsCare bill, this President proves that his priorities are not in line with the American people, are not in line with the people from my home State of Arizona. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to continue to support this fiscally responsible legislation passed by Congress with bipartisan support. It is critically important that the President does not fail the kids of Arizona, the kids of our country and, hence, fail our future.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I am both pleased and honored to share with my colleagues the work of a distinguished program that began in a converted 1956 school bus named ``La Tortuga'' or ``The Tortoise'' which became a portable classroom. This program on wheels was the dream of a young man that saw a need to serve and thereby improve the quality of life of the migrant and the rural poor of Arizona. Founded in August 24, 1967, through this young man's vision and tenacity, Project Portable Practical Education Preparation (PPEP) began serving the needs of migrant and the rural poor of Arizona to improve the quality of lives though self-help programs which became PPEP's fundamental mission. Today I wish to recognize their 40th anniversary. An article in The Arizona Daily Star, written in November 1967, had this to say about Project PPEP: ``Its goal is summed up in the title, a practical education which is brought almost to the doorstep of unskilled and poverty-stricken people in Southern Arizona. Its method involves the use of constant information; finding what kinds of education the people want and then providing it.'' Since October 1967, slowly, laboriously, La Tortuga crawled back and forth along the hot dusty miles from Marana, Arizona to Tumacacori and Patagonia in southern Arizona. The old green bus stopped in poor Mexican-American, Bracero, Native American and Black communities, bringing Project PPEP and its belief in ``Si Se Puede'' (yes it can be done) to hundreds of low-income populations in rural Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. After gaining acceptance in the communities along the way, John David Arnold, the founder and CEO of PPEP and La Tortuga's driver, mechanic and teacher, used this circuit model for delivery of social and educational services--a model used some 300 years earlier by Father Eusebio Kino, the great mission builder of the southwest. Today PPEP is supporting the construction of twelve brick and mortar schoolhouses for at-risk students (graduating over 2,400) and La Tortuga's legacy is traveling down the information super highway as PPEP designs two virtual academies: the Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) and the Insight Virtual Academy of California (IVAC). The work of Project PPEP and the leadership of Dr. John David Arnold have been cited as national models eight times in the Congressional Record, including citations by Congressmen Morris K. Udall, Jim Kolbe, Ed Pastor, and Senators Dennis DeConcini, Mike Enzi, John McCain and Jon Kyl. Dr. Arnold was honored twice at the Clinton White House among numerous other recognitions nationally and internationally. Recently Dr. Arnold was appointed by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) as their National Education co-chair and International Relations co-chair. Furthermore Dr. Arnold was the Arizona LULAC Man of The Year in 2004 and 2006, and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious Cesar Chavez Award for Community Service and Leadership. I wish to commend and congratulate Project PPEP CEO Dr. John David Arnold, the Board of Directors, and the 476 staff on their 40th year of providing personal financial training and services which have enabled families to become self-sufficient, including over $19 million in loans through its micro-credit loan program. To list all of the good work Project PPEP has accomplished in the last 40 years would be a daunting task. Project PPEP has made it possible for many rural families to achieve the dignity they deserve. For all their good work they are much deserving of Congressional recognition.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If there is one thing that we here in Congress can bank on, it's that the sun is going to come up each and every day. Solar power is a domestic form of renewable energy, and increasing its use will be good for our environment, good for public health, good for our national security and good for our economy. I hail from the great State of Arizona, of course, which is rich in sunshine, but every single State in our country receives enough sunshine to make valuable use of solar energy. In addition to all the societal benefits that I mentioned, solar power is also a solid property investment. Solar panels installed on homes or offices enable families or businesses to reduce and often eliminate electricity bills. They often pay for themselves in just a few short years. Solar panels can increase the resale value of a home or a business. Solar products are becoming more efficient and more attractive all the time and, in fact, there are several examples where the solar panels are actually built into and blend with regular roof tiles. Unfortunately, many consumers are not aware of some of these benefits of solar. They're not aware of the improvements. A challenge for the solar industry to advertise and promote this has been addressed by another industry that I believe that we can learn from. The agriculture industry pioneered a mechanism called the check-off program, and they did this to increase generally an awareness of a product rather than a particular brand. These programs are federally created and they are a proven way of increasing consumer awareness of a category of products. Almost two dozen programs have been created, and some of these we know very well. For example, in the milk industry, the Got Milk? campaign. Beef. Cotton. Pork. The wide familiarity that we can all name in these campaigns is a solid testament to the effectiveness of raising consumer awareness. And increased consumer awareness is exactly what the solar industry needs in order to increase the demand for products here in the United States, which will be to the benefit of the entire country. I therefore offer an amendment that would create a check-off program for the solar industry. This amendment has been explicitly requested by the solar industry. It is structured to incur no cost for the government. All costs are borne by the solar industry, yet individual companies have the ability to opt out of the program. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It is a proven idea with a good track record. It will address global warming, energy independence, American competitiveness, and I believe it's a winning proposition. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I will yield.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, the companies would be able to opt out immediately.

Ms. GIFFORDS. To my knowledge, those companies will be able to opt out if they do not want to participate in the program. Again, this is an amendment that was brought to me by the Solar Energy Industries Association. The solar companies in Arizona that I have worked with are all in favor of this amendment. Again, it's a voluntary program where the companies can choose to opt out if they so choose. But it has been successful, Mr. Chairman, in many other industries. And the agriculture industries that I mentioned are good examples. I am certainly willing to work with my friend from Texas as this bill moves forward, but I do think that there are some real benefits to offering this amendment.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time alotted to the Science and Technology Committee.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act. This bill will help our Nation make great strides in our efforts to simultaneously reduce our dependence on foreign energy and address global climate change. I am proud to join with my colleagues on the Science and Technology Committee under the leadership of Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall to contribute a very strong Science and Technology title to this bill. This title authorizes funding for research in advanced, experimental energy technologies; marine renewable energy technologies to harness the power of ocean waves and currents; geothermal energy technologies, to tap into the enormous reservoir of heat stored within the earth; biofuels, to increase the amount of energy we can extract from our agricultural resources; solar energy technologies, to tap into the tremendous power of the sun; carbon capture and storage, to reduce the carbon footprint of coal-fired power plants; and, of course, global climate change. Mr. Chairman, all of these important provisions to this legislation had bipartisan support within our committee. I look forward to Members' support of this legislation, and will continue to work with Members to make sure these great provisions go to the President's desk. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, we have no speakers. Would my friend from Texas please rise for a question?

Ms. GIFFORDS. We have no additional speakers. We're prepared to yield back our time.

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time as well.

Ms. GIFFORDS

Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Safe and Effective Drug Development Act, which was adopted as an amendment to H.R. 2900 in committee. I would like to thank Mr. Dingell, Mr. Engel, Mr. Hall, and Mrs. Blackburn for their work on this legislation. An op-ed in today's Washington Post by Dr. Lichtenberg from Columbia University identified medical innovation as the key factor contributing to the increase in life expectancy here in the United States over the last 15 years. I think we would all agree that living longer is a very good thing. However, in 2004, the FDA identified 76 specific problems that have caused a critical slow down in medical innovation. This legislation formalizes public-private partnerships between the FDA, nonprofits, and universities. These partnerships help solve the problems that stand between new biomedical discoveries and how quickly and safely these discoveries are translated to consumers. I want to thank the gentleman for allowing me to speak and thank all of those staff and of course the committee members who worked so hard on this legislation.