Tulsi Gabbard

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ernest ``Juggie'' Heen, Jr., an iconic son of Hawai`i. ``Uncle Juggie,'' as he was known by everyone who loved him, often shared his gift for story-telling, his sense of humor, keen intellect, and love of Native Hawaiian customs and traditions. He was an accomplished musician who performed Hawaiian songs that are rarely heard today. Born on August 31, 1930, to one of Hawai`i's most prominent political families, Uncle Juggie was the seventh of nine children. Uncle Juggie learned of Hawai`i's unique multi-cultural traditions and political dynamics at a young age. It was with his friends, many of whom were children of plantation workers, that he began the lifelong embrace of people from all heritages and his passion for service. Uncle Juggie would often tag along with his father who became increasingly immersed in Hawai's political scene. One particular event where his father brought food to striking dock workers in the 1940s made a lasting impression on Juggie as a child. From that moment, he committed himself to organized labor in Hawai`i. In the 1960s, Uncle Juggie later went on to serve three terms in the Hawai`i State Legislature. Uncle Juggle was a mentor to many, especially those engaged in the political process. In 2012, Uncle Juggie was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award from the Democratic Party of Hawai`i. He was also honored by the Honolulu City Council, the Hawai`i State Office of Veterans Services, and the Department of Defense during the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. His older brother, Judge Walter Heen, described Uncle Juggle as ``a true character'' and one who ``had the keen ability to perceive underlying issues that people were glossing over and was able to express the essence of those issues very clearly and succinctly.'' Always an advocate, in his final years he became a strong and visible proponent for Hawai`i's Death with Dignity movement--giving the terminally ill in Hawai`i complete autonomy over their end-of-life decisions and care. Uncle Juggie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1998. Although it went into remission, it returned to his liver and pancreas a few years later. After fighting courageously for more than two years with the support of the many people he mentored, Uncle Juggie passed away on June 30, 2013. Uncle Juggie, thank you very much (mahalo nui loa) for your service to Hawai`i and our nation. Your legacy lives on in all of us. Love to you. (Aloha oe.)

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Young amendment. This amendment will continue the administration of the Essential Air Service program, recognizing the unique characteristics of both Hawaii and Alaska. The Essential Air Service program was put into place to guarantee that small communities, like the communities in our States, will continue to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service with access to the national air transportation system. Especially in times of medical emergencies or natural disasters, this literally is the difference between life and death for the people in our communities. In a State like Hawaii, where I'm from, where island communities are separated by the Pacific Ocean, access to air service is oftentimes the only transportation option available if service needs to be provided with any regularity or within specific time constraints. One example is Kalaupapa, a community on an isolated peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. When Hansen's disease was first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands, all people afflicted with this disease were sent to this rural community, Kalaupapa. Today, it is a refuge for the remaining residents and patients who, now cured, would still like to live there. If not for the assistance of the Essential Air Service program, the only way to get in and out of that community is a 3.5 mile trail down a 1,700-foot sea cliff used by mule riders and hikers. This trail is extremely steep and challenging and has been made impassable in the past because of heavy rains. This is just one example of why this continued air service is critical to the people who continue to live in this community. Hawaii and Alaska, as illustrated, have unique geographical limitations and challenges. Whereas other communities are generally accessible by vehicle, that's not always the case in the noncontiguous States; 3\1/2\ miles doesn't sound very far until you're looking up the side of a steep cliff from the back of a mule. The amendment being offered by Representative Young would continue this program's recognition of our exceptional geographic challenges. This amendment maintains the current practice of Alaska and Hawaii being exempt from restrictions on what communities are eligible for the Essential Air Service program. Currently, only two communities in Hawaii qualify--Kalaupapa and Kamuela--but maintaining this air service is critically important for all people who live in these areas. I would also just like to take a moment to recognize my colleague from Hawaii, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa. She has worked very closely with Congressman Young on this amendment and would have liked to have been here to speak in strong support of it today were it not for Tropical Storm Flossie, where she is stuck in Hawaii, across the Pacific Ocean away. I would like to thank Representative Young for offering this amendment and for his leadership, and strongly urge my colleagues to support the Young amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chairwoman, countless men and women from my State of Hawaii and all across the country have worn the uniform and put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and our liberties. I cannot in good conscience vote to take a single dollar from the pockets of hardworking taxpayers from across the country to pay for programs which infringe on the very liberties and freedoms our troops have fought and died for. Ben Franklin said: They who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The U.S. Navy has acknowledged a growing problem that threatens its dominance at sea. It's strike reach is shrinking and aging, while potential enemies' attack reach is growing and modernizing. We recognize this most specifically within the Asia-Pacific region. It's because of this growing recognition that the Navy is exploring new weapons in order to successfully execute our strategic rebalance of military assets to the Asia-Pacific region. A longstanding Navy urgent operational needs statement and related intelligence estimates detail a troubling capability and readiness gap that have compelled the Secretary of Defense to direct accelerated development of an over-the-horizon surface warfare missile that can be launched from aircraft or surface vessels and strike well-defended moving maritime targets. Currently, surface-launched anti-ship missiles face the growing challenge of penetrating sophisticated enemy air defense systems from long range and present the potential for large no-go zones, which deny the Navy access in key conflict areas. The military expects our adversaries will continue their development of increasingly sophisticated anti-access area denial capabilities that are able to jam or destroy GPS systems which guide our missiles. This clearly highlights the need for the offensive anti-surface warfare weapon, as well as the long-range anti-ship missile, which has a requirement of independently detecting and validating the target that it was shot at. In authorizing the full request in the President's budget, the House Armed Services Committee noted the need for a new generation of anti- ship weapons capable of penetrating sophisticated enemy air defense systems from long range and said such a capability is even more relevant today and is critical to meeting national security objectives and rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. By providing these new capabilities, we allow our Navy to safely engage and destroy high-value targets well beyond the potential counterfire range of the adversaries that they may face. I recently received a letter from Admiral Locklear, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, who's at the forefront of this rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, noting the importance of these two weapons. He expressed deep concern about the reductions proposed by the Defense Appropriation Subcommittee and said that such reductions will derail the efforts of Pacific Command to outpace an expanding threat, increasingly degrade our regional response options, and potentially erode regional confidence in our commitment to the rebalance. We can and must do all that we can to correct the significant strategic and operational risks that these budget cuts present at this critical juncture. I urge you to support the President's budget request, as well as the authorization that the House Armed Services Committee approved, in order to keep this essential element of our Asia-Pacific rebalance on track for fielding. I look forward to working with my colleagues and ask for their support as I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chair, a couple of points I would like to clarify. This amendment proposes that the offset come from the O&M Defense-wide account, but makes up less than one-half of 1 percent of the entire amount requested in funding for that. With regards to the justification for the timing of this issue, the letter from Admiral Locklear--the contents of that letter recognize the effectiveness and the necessity of these programs, and are looking really to bypass normal acquisition processes due to the urgent need that they have identified there within the region, which is why I am strongly asking my colleagues to consider supporting this amendment. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time. Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, HI, July 18, 2013. Hon. Richard Durbin, Chairman, Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: As you know, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) is at the forefront of executing key aspects of our strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. The complexity of the operational environment and the pace of emerging potential threats in this theater demand a responsive and credible joint force to reassure our friends, dissuade adversaries, and defend our national interests. To that end, I want to ensure you are aware that proposed reductions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget for Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) capability (PE 0604786N) introduces significant strategic and operational risk at a time-critical juncture in our rebalance. Specifically, my FY 2015-2019 Integrated Priority List (IPL), a long-standing Navy OASuW Urgent Operational Needs Statement, and related intelligence estimates detail a particularly troubling capability and readiness gap that compelled the Deputy Secretary of Defense to direct accelerated (2018) fielding of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). If enacted, the reductions proposed in the FY 2014 budget for OASuW/LRASM will derail our efforts to outpace an expanding threat, increasingly constrain our regional response options, and potentially erode regional confidence in our commitment to the rebalance. I urge you to support the President's Budget request and reconsider the proposed OASuW/LRASM reductions in order to keep this vital program on track for FY 2018 fielding. Thank you for your continued support of USPACOM and this essential element of our Asia-Pacific rebalance. Sincerely, S.J. Locklear, III.

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chair, due to its strategic location in the Pacific, my home of Hawaii has long been at the forefront of our Nation's conflicts. We have more than 100 Formerly Used Defense Sites just as a result of a defensive buildup pre-World War I and, later, in the massive rush to mobilize in World War II. These sites, often also referred to as FUDS, can be littered with dangerous unexploded bombs and shells, in addition to harmful chemicals. As in Hawaii, Formerly Used Sites across the country--in every State and congressional district--can serve as housing developments, schools, parks, and playgrounds, areas that can be used productively. The Army Corps of Engineers has been working diligently to clean up unexploded ordnance from many sites in Hawaii, many of which I visited myself, including 135,000-acre Waikoloa Maneuver Area on the Big Island of Hawaii. During World War II, this area was home to some 50,000 U.S. servicemembers who trained and prepared for many of the historic battles that were fought in the Pacific. One of the places that I visited and met with many elementary and middle school students was Waimea Middle School, where unexploded ordnance has been found within the last few years by these students themselves. You are talking about 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-year-old students who have to be trained in this day and age to identify what an unexploded ordnance looks like and how to report it. This is not something that we should be facing in our society today. The effort to clean up these Formerly Used Defense Sites not only makes our communities safer, but has a significant and positive economic impact. There have been substantial investments in the training of local people in Hawaii to do this highly skilled and often dangerous work. By training these local people, we're actually saving taxpayer dollars because we're not having to import talent, pay per diem and all these other exorbitant costs, and we're providing jobs to the local community. I sponsor this amendment because Congress has a responsibility to ensure that the Department of Defense has the resources it needs to clean up these dangerous unexploded munitions.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Chairman, I'm rising to give my strong support for the amendment before us, and I would like to thank my colleague from Alaska (Mr. Young) for his steadfast support and championing of the issues and concerns of Native communities throughout our country. This amendment does a simple thing: it ensures that Native students across the country have access to support which meets the unique cultural and language needs of these communities. This support has been there now for decades, and it's important and crucial that we continue this. For my home State of Hawaii, the Native Hawaiian Education Program, which the amendment reauthorizes and which does not exist in the underlying measure, is a vital resource for our Native Hawaiian community. Last district period when I was home over the Fourth of July, I had the opportunity to travel to a few different islands where I met with teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders and learned firsthand about the many accomplishments of this program. By passing this amendment, we're empowering and educating the next generation in communities that have largely been underserved and at the same time preserving rich and unique culture, language, and values of our Native people. With that, I insert into the Record numerous letters of support that I've received from my constituents explaining in a very personal way the important success stories of the Native Hawaiian Education Programs over the years. Mid-Continent Research for Education and learning Pacific Center for Changing the Odds, Honolulu, HI, July 17, 2013. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI. Attention: Anthony Ching. Dear Representative Gabbard, Thank you for being a supporter of the Native Hawaiian Education Act. This legislation is critical for the future and progress of Hawai`i's education system. Every year tens of thousands of Hawaiian students benefit from the academic programs funded by this policy. The Act is also a significant milestone in the relationship between the U.S. federal government and Native Hawaiians because it affirms the trust in that relationship and recognizes the rights of Native Hawaiians. The ESEA reauthorization bill H.R. 5 the Student Success Act, put forward by Representative John Kline, seeks to eliminate the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which would end critical academic programs for Native Hawaiians. If passed, the Student Success Act would cut funding and potentially terminate many of the innovative programs promoting native culture and education in Hawai`i that have been valued for over twenty-five years. As the ESEA reauthorization process continues, we urge you to consider the preservation of Native Hawaiian culture, traditions and values within the Student Success Act. Thank you for championing Native Hawaiian education and for supporting Hawai`i's students who benefit from the Native Hawaiian Education Act. Sincerely, Jane R. Best, Ph.D., Chief Strategy Officer.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the Senate, we heard some great news. Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and many others in support of the Military Justice Improvement Act. This is a group of courageous leaders, bipartisan, taking serious action to stop the epidemic of violent sexual assaults amongst our men and women who courageously serve in our military. Recently, the Defense Department reported that 26,000 sexual assaults had occurred in 2012 alone. Contrary to popular belief, this is not just an issue affecting female servicemembers. Over 53 percent of these assaults, over half of the 26,000, had been male victims. Unfortunately, 87 percent of these assaults went unreported. This is a matter of basic fairness, transparency, and justice. Placing the decision to bring charges against these perpetrators of serious violent crimes into the hands of experienced professional military investigators and prosecutors outside of the chain of command will not erode a commander's ability to lead his or her troops. We must change the status quo. These crimes have been ignored for far too long.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Thank you very much, and I appreciate my colleague from California for leading and encouraging this conversation to talk about the comprehensive immigration reform bill in a context that's much broader than has been talked about in many of the headlines. Madam Speaker, for all of us to understand and recognize the great economic benefits and impacts of this bill on our country, we have to recognize that our borders do not just consist of those on the southwest border, our borders do not just consist of those along the northern part of our country with Canada, but these borders exist in every single one of our international airports all across the country. Anyone who talks to me, it doesn't take very long for them to figure out how much I love my State of Hawaii, and also that I enjoy hearing from other people how much they love Hawaii as well. Travelers to Hawaii spent $16.9 billion in 2011 alone, and generated $2.5 billion which went to Federal, State and local governments, dollars that helped fund and create local jobs and public programs, such as funding our police, our firefighters, our teachers, our infrastructure projects, and our convention centers, where we host many, many gatherings of a diverse group of industries from all over the world. In 2011, 160,800 jobs were created by the travel industry in my State of Hawaii alone. For every million dollars spent in Hawaii by travelers, 10 jobs are created. Everyone knows Hawaii is a tourist destination, but we have to realize the great potential that exists for our country to be marketed as a tourist destination as well, and what that impact will be. Unbeknownst to many people, there are tourism provisions in the Senate bill, this comprehensive immigration reform bill, that will allow us to create an additional 1.3 million U.S. jobs by 2020 and produce about $160 billion in economic output by the year of 2020. It's time for us to regain our share of the global travel market. From 2000 to 2010, the United States went from hosting 17 percent of all global travelers to just 12 percent. This is moving us in the wrong direction. By taking these steps that have been included in the comprehensive immigration reform bill, we can increase American exports cumulatively by $390 billion over the next 10 years. I would like to talk about a couple of the travel provisions that have been included in the Senate bill that will encourage tourism not only in my home State of Hawaii but in States all across the country where we have such great diversity of cultures and geography and communities that must be celebrated. The Senate bill includes reforms to the highly successful visa waiver program that allows additional countries like Brazil and Poland to apply for admission, enhancing U.S. security while also welcoming more visitors to the United States. This bill also expands the tested and proven global entry program that allows preapproved, low-risk international travelers the ability to utilize an expedited clearance process upon entry into the United States. This expedited entry for trusted travelers enables our Customs and Border Patrol personnel to focus their time and limited resources on inspecting unknown or higher-risk travelers. This bill also allows for expedited visa reviews for travelers who wish to visit the U.S. on short notice. And also, an important provision which will help service the limited resources of our embassies by including a pilot program that tests the use of secure video conferencing to conduct visa interviews, which would provide increased access to the United States visas for potential travelers. In this day and age of technology, this is a commonsense approach to this updating of the immigration reform bill. There are many more provisions that are included in this bill. It is time for us to market the United States as a destination for our global traveler community and create the jobs for our hotel owners, for our airlines, for the restaurants, and all the small businesses that will benefit from this, and create more jobs for our economy as a result. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about this growing industry.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, in the coming days, we will soon be taking up H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, which is a long overdue reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. I'm rising today to speak about the need to include in this reauthorization the Native Hawaiian Education Act. I've introduced H.R. 2287, which does just this. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure its passage. Last week, when I was in Hawaii, I had the chance to meet with parents and educators in the Native Hawaiian Education community on the islands of Kauai, Maui, and Molokai. I heard from them about the firsthand successes of this program, which has been in place since 1988. Education is, by far, the best investment that we can make in our economy and in our future. We are empowering and educating the next generation in communities that have largely been underserved, while at the same time preserving rich and unique culture, language, and values of our native people. The Native Hawaiian Education Act has been serving our kids for the last 25 years. It's critical that these innovative programs continue. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the NHEA and other programs that can enable and empower our underserved communities to thrive.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I'm rising today to recognize Posttraumatic Stress Awareness Day and so that we can honor our men and women in uniform who have so bravely served our Nation. For them, when they come home, the battle doesn't end, which is why we must ensure that they're well served as they go through the transition from combat to civilian life. Research has shown that an estimated 18.5 percent, or nearly one in five of our courageous veterans, suffer from PTSD or depression. This number is likely artificially low because of a reluctance to report these conditions. Further, PTSD and other mental conditions can often lead to other serious psychological and physical health conditions. In Congress, we must ensure that we work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to address these issues as they face our veterans coming home. We owe it to them, these selfless, servant leaders, to empower them so that they can be provided the seamless transition they need and empower them to continue their service to our communities here at home.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud to honor today someone who is a great servant leader and who I'm honored to call my friend, Chief Master Sergeant Denise Jelinski-Hall. She will be retiring later this month after serving nearly 30 years in the United States Air Force, where she earned the distinction of being the first female and the first Air National Guard member to serve as the National Guard Bureau's Senior Enlisted Leader. This is the highest enlisted rank in the National Guard that one is able to hold. While she is originally from a small town in Minnesota and has served everywhere from Nebraska to Qatar, I'm especially proud of the tremendous impact that she has made on her nearly 20 years that she spent serving in the Hawaii National Guard. Chief Jelinski-Hall is happiest when she is spending time with soldiers and airmen, and has done so in all 50 States and around the world as she leads by example, encouraging troops to focus on personal growth and education. She should serve as an inspiration to young men and women across the country through her great work ethic and leadership by example. Congratulations and thank you very much--mahalo nui loa--to Chief Jelinski-Hall on her incredible, long, accomplished career in service to our country.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise very proudly today to honor one of our Nation's heroes, a man named Larry Helm, who served honorably as a combat veteran in Vietnam, who now serves as commander of the Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans Center, and who is very fondly known, to those of us who know him, as ``Uncle Larry.'' He is the epitome of a servant leader, who has been active all across the State of Hawaii fighting for his family, his friends, his neighbors, his community, for veterans and all those who've served in the armed services, taking him all the way to the U.S. Senate, testifying and fighting for benefits. No matter the challenge, whether in combat in Vietnam, as a community leader, or now as he battles cancer, Uncle Larry has always stood for what is right. He has dedicated three decades of his life to opening a vet center to those veterans on Molokai to make sure that valuable resources are available to these veterans and their families who very often have access to none. Uncle Larry, we love you, we honor you, and we stand with you in your righteous battles; and we will work to make your vision a reality.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of this amendment to improve the Special Immigrant Visa programs for local civilians who put their lives in danger to aid our troops as they've served in Iraq and Afghanistan. We see in times of war and in times of conflict that our servicemembers are lauded and honored for their service and tremendous sacrifice, but there are many stories that remain untold. There are many unseen heroes who sacrifice every single day as they serve alongside our troops. During my first deployment to Iraq, I served in a medical unit, and we had two interpreters who worked with us on a daily basis. One was named Kaddam. He sat in our clinic, went out on missions with our medics. I spoke to him almost every day and learned so much about his family, his community, and the challenges that he overcame every day to just work with us. He drove home every night with a firearm under his driver's seat, in fear, not only of his own life, but in fear of the health and safety of his family. He had a few young children, and he spoke very strongly about his hopes and his dreams for them being able to have a future, to have an education, which was a far cry from the life that he was living there; and that's why he served with us. We had another interpreter who we called, our Hawaii unit called Kahuna. And his situation was very different. He lived in secrecy, where his neighbors and his friends didn't know that he was working with us; and because of that, he stayed in our camp. He lived with us and worked with us on a daily basis because he believed in what we were doing, and he wouldn't want to risk his family's life. The stories go on and on of those who have sacrificed so much, not only because they believed in what we were doing, what our mission was, what our work was, but in the hopes that they could also live a free life for themselves, a life where they were not fraught on a daily basis with just getting by. And for that, I personally stand in strong support of this.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. I was very proud after 9/11 when I enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard; proud to continue serving as a captain in that same unit; proud when I was a private that I went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in basic training and learned about the Army values of respect, integrity, and honor; proud to be a part of an organization in which strong, unbreakable bonds of trust exist between my brothers and sisters in uniform. But I am not proud that we as a country have allowed an epidemic of sexual assault in the military to continue to such great lengths today. I feel it is my responsibility to my brothers and sisters in uniform to take action to address this issue, and it is why I have introduced a bill to have a fair, independent, and transparent process to bring justice for these survivors and to prosecute those who are guilty. We've seen calls to action from communities across the country-- headlines from The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, and from my own local newspaper, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser--each calling for us as Congress to pass these measures. We must take action. We owe it to our selfless heroes and to our servant leaders who put their lives on the line every single day for our country.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, on April 23, 1973, the J. Walter Cameron Center opened its doors in Wailuku, Hawai`i, with a mission to assist people with special needs by providing a home for Maui's social service agencies. Since then, more than 120,000 Mauians, and their families, have found hope, help, and healing. The Cameron Center is the vision of two remarkable men, J. Walter Cameron and Douglas Sodetani, who saw that an innovative public-private partnership could serve Maui's people with one of the nation's first multi-tenant social service centers. A designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the center is governed by a volunteer, community-based Board of Directors and operated by a dedicated and hard-working staff. The Cameron Center is the home to sixteen Resident Social Service Agencies including: American Cancer Society; ARC of Maui County; Best Buddies International; Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Hawaii; Fun Day Foundation; Heritage Hall, Inc.; Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc.; Imua Family Services; Ka Lima O Maui; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Maui Community Mental Health; Maui County Office on Aging, Mediation Services of Maui; Mental Health Association of America; MEO K`hi Kamali`i; and the Pacific Cancer Foundation. Together, these agencies-- through meetings, workshops, training sessions and other community events--serve more than 40,000 people annually. The Cameron Center has also kept pace with changing times with its ``Going Green'' Program. Through the installation of a photovoltaic electricity system and energy efficient mechanical systems, appliances and lighting, it has been able to save $42,000 in energy costs each year while significantly reducing environmental impacts Congratulations to the J. Walter Cameron Center, its board, staff and volunteers for a job well done in serving those in need for two generations. The Center will be celebrating its 40th anniversary on Saturday, June, 8, 2013, at the Yokouchi estate in Wailuku.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. I rise today to recognize a very talented group of students from the beautiful island of Molokai in my district. Last week, I had a chance to meet with the Molokai Middle School's Golden Eyes robotics team. Beating out 52 other teams, the Golden Eyes took first place at the Hawaii FIRST LEGO League Championship in December 2012, and recently attended a national invitational. The FIRST LEGO League is a robotics program created to get students excited about science and technology. The team members included Erik Svetin, Lily Jenkins, Noah Keanini, Katy Domingo, Caele Manley, and Kaitlin DeRouin, with great coaches David Gonzales and Jennifer Whitted. Together, they researched and developed conceptual glasses, using face-recognition software, to help the elderly remember the people that they met. They researched age-related memory loss and put in 600 hours of research and practice to prepare for the competition, and they're now applying for a patent. I am so proud of these young people, as they represent the great talent that exists in our State of Hawaii. They are who give me hope for our bright future.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, 41 years ago, President Nixon signed the landmark Title IX legislation into law, giving girls and boys equal opportunities in sports. But what many people don't know is that there was a 5-foot, 2-inch Japanese American woman from Hawaii who was behind this law. While she may not have been a contender for the WNBA, she laid the groundwork for women to participate in sports at every level. She was a fierce fighter for equal treatment and rights for women and held the seat in Congress which I'm privileged to hold today. Congresswoman Patsy Mink led the way to create equal opportunities for women and girls with her landmark Title IX bill. She grew up wanting to be a doctor and was rejected from over a dozen medical schools in the 1940s simply for being a woman. She went on to attend law school and dedicated her life to battling the status quo. Title IX is a mere 37 words, but over the last 40 years it has made an incredible impact in the lives of young women around the country. Today girls can play basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, or even football. Patsy opened the door for these opportunities. Many young women have walked through this door, paving the way for great athletes everywhere.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my constituents in the State of Hawaii as we all express our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the horrific tornado that hit Oklahoma yesterday. The destruction has been absolutely heartbreaking, and there really are no words that can adequately provide comfort during a time like this. However, it is important for all of us to send a message of solidarity to those who have lost their loved ones, who have lost their children, lost their homes, and those who are still searching for their children, family, and friends in the rubble. Know that your country stands with you, your country grieves with you, and we are committed to doing what it takes to make sure that you have the support to rebuild. The strength of our Nation lies in our unity, especially in these times of great need. Now is the time, as we go about our business here in the people's House, where we must stand as one, united to help our brothers and sisters in Oklahoma, provide them with assistance, prayers, and support as their recovery and rebuilding process begins.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 1344, the Helping Heroes Fly Act, and yield myself such time as I may consume. In response to documented grievances my fellow servicemembers made because of various challenges and trying experiences that they went through at airport checkpoints across the country, I introduced the Helping Heroes Fly Act to ensure that the Transportation Security Administration--working alongside veterans advocacy organizations-- develop sensible screening policies that honor and respect the service and sacrifice of our Nation's injured and disabled heroes. On March 27 of this year, just a few days after this legislation was introduced, the Transportation Security Administration made an announcement of some improvements that they have made in this area as they took steps to expedite airport screening for severely injured members of our Armed Forces. With these changes, individuals can presently request assistance ahead of time and move through security checkpoints without having to remove their shoes, light outerwear, jackets, or hats. Taking off a jacket--while maybe a simple inconvenience for you and I--can be a very physically challenging task for someone who, for example, has lost the use of an arm. While this announcement was a good step, it didn't go nearly far enough, as there are still more improvements that need to be made. As I've spoken with wounded warriors and listened to their experiences, I've heard stories that have been varied and included things like having to take off a prosthetic leg, putting the leg through the X-ray machine, and then having to balance on one leg going through the full body scan without help from anyone. This is unacceptable. Severely injured and disabled Active Duty and veterans both experience widely varied screening protocols among different airports, and even among screeners in the same airport. This makes it very hard for a wounded warrior to anticipate and prepare what will be required of them, to make sure that they are ready physically and mentally. Again, this may not seem like much to us, but to someone--a trained and hardened warrior--learning to adjust to these severe injuries, it can sometimes be difficult and can be the difference between a smooth and dignified screening experience or one that is filled with frustration, shame, and pain for the injured servicemember and delays for all people waiting in that screening line. Another issue that frequently has come up has been privacy. Veterans have shared with me their own experiences of having to take off prosthetics, despite TSA guidance that it's not necessary. And in the instances where extra screening of these prosthetics is necessary, it has been done in public view, even when clothing needs to be removed. No one--no one--should be required to remove their shirt or pants in public, nor should scans of sensitive or private areas be viewed by other airline passengers. Again, this has been already a humiliating, shameful experience for some veterans when there's absolutely no requirement or necessity for it. The Disabled American Veterans have spoken in strong support of this legislation stating: At some airports, our amputee members receive relaxed screening, while at others these screenings are horrific. Perhaps it is TSA's purpose to make screenings unpredictable. Some screenings have required these amputees to expose their prostheses when they lack the ability to reposition their clothing, and TSA agents are not allowed to help them, nor do they allow spouses or traveling companions to enter search areas to assist the amputees. Our objective with this legislation is to ensure consistent treatment by screeners, greater attention to privacy concerns, and consulting with these advocacy organizations who speak for our wounded warriors to ensure they have a voice in the process. This bill before us today, the Helping Heroes Fly Act, achieves these improvements by requiring TSA to take into account the privacy of the individual being screened. It also mandates training of screening officers on the expedited protocols to make sure that no matter where you travel, no matter what city you are in, you will have consistent screening procedures so you know what to expect. TSA is also required to consult with these advocacy organizations to make sure that as these changes are implemented, that the unique needs of our wounded warriors are implemented to the best of its ability. To ensure these changes over the long term, this legislation requires regular reporting to Congress, as well as maintenance of the TSA's operations center that these wounded warriors and veterans can contact for assistance as they prepare to travel. Mr. Speaker, as you well know, members of our U.S. Armed Forces are entrusted to protect the security of our country with their lives. By definition, these individuals pose very little risk to aviation security and should be consistently screened in a manner befitting and honoring their service and sacrifice. I urge my colleagues to ensure our Nation's wounded warriors are treated respectfully, and urge them to vote ``yes'' in support of H.R. 1344. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Swalwell).