Mazie Hirono

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Youth Corps Act of 2011 to help increase opportunities for youth in Hawaii and nationwide. In the worst recession since the Great Depression, 2010 marked the highest unemployment rate for youth ages 16-24 since the Labor Department began tracking the figure in World War II. Nearly 1 in 5 youth were unemployed in 2010. Youth Corps can help. Modeled after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps, today's Corps Network includes 143 programs in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Youth Corps programs have helped 600,000 youth gain critical education, civic engagement, and job training skills. A shining example of a Youth Corps leader is my constituent Mari Takemoto-Chock, who is one of six 2011 Corps Member of the Year. Mai grew up on Hawaii Island and thrived at excellent public schools. Once she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she became aware of the daunting opportunity gap between young people of different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Last spring and summer, Mari served as a UH Fellow in my Washington office, where she was one of the most effective employees I have ever had. Wanting to do more on-the-ground service, Mari became an AmeriCorps VISTA intern for Kupu, the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps. There she helped develop and implement Kupu's new Urban Corps program. In 2011, Kupu itself is honored with a Project of the Year award. Kupu in Hawaiian means ``to sprout, grow, germinate, or increase'' and like the Kupukupu fern that grows after a lava flow, Kupu brings life back to the people, the land, and the ocean. Kupu used Recovery Act funding to create a Recovery Youth Conservation Corps. The program provided education and job training to 45 underserved young adults; produced nearly 83,000 service hours, and yielded nearly $1.5 million in community improvement projects. Unfortunately, Youth Corps programs today must cobble together funding from a wide variety of sources, and they operate with tremendous uncertainty. The Youth Corps Act of 2011 would provide more stability for Youth Corps affiliates and the youth they serve by authorizing a new program through the Workforce Investment Act, WIA. I thank Congressman Andrews for his continued leadership on this bill and urge my colleagues to support this effort.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that extends to the end of 2016 the $1.00 per gallon biodiesel tax credit and the additional $0.10 per gallon tax credit to small agri-biodiesel producers. Extending the biodiesel tax credit for another five years will provide the certainty and stability in the marketplace that is needed to encourage companies to invest in the development and production of biodiesel. Companies throughout the United States have emerged as pioneers in this growing renewable energy sector. The founder of Hawaii's Pacific Biodiesel observed that large quantities of used cooking oil were going directly to a local landfill and proposed converting this restaurant waste into biodiesel in order to fuel the landfill's generators. This is but one example of how an innovative idea can turn a problem into a solution. By producing a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel, companies like this one have helped Hawaii--the most oil- dependent state in the country--become more energy self-sufficient. In addition, producers like these not only diversify our domestic energy portfolio but also boost our local economies by creating jobs for biodiesel production and distribution as well as for feedstock farming and collection. President Obama noted in his recent State of the Union speech that he supports incentives to invest in and develop the biofuels industry in order to break our country's dependence on oil. This legislation takes us a step forward to achieving that goal.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I thank my colleague for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us is simple. It instructs the committees to do the job they already do--conduct oversight of the laws passed by Congress. I believe clarity of purpose is an important component to successfully tackling the challenges we face as a Nation. So, while I have no objection to this resolution, I question why we need to spend 9\1/2\ hours debating what we should all unanimously agree on. Spending this much time on this resolution is like making sure we finish chewing our gum before we start walking--when just a few months ago we were doing both at the same time. Take the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, for example. This legislation was passed as an unprecedented response to the most severe economic crisis our Nation has faced since the Great Depression. We knew that there was a lot of taxpayer money involved in this legislation. That's why we included reporting requirements for the recipients, and that's why we included diligent committee oversight. Because of these measures, I know that approximately $1.5 billion was allocated to Hawaii. Since 2009, this money has helped to save or create 13,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Hawaii. I also know that Hawaii received approximately $156 million for highway and water infrastructure improvements. These funds are helping to build Hawaii's infrastructure for the future right now. For example, when completed, the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion project on the island of Kauai will double the capacity of the existing plant. It will allow the county to take advantage of photovoltaic systems that will minimize the facility's carbon footprint. The expanded capacity will also reduce the county's reliance on potable water for irrigation, water that they need for other purposes besides irrigation. Altogether, this investment will allow for expanded development in the area, which will lead to more new businesses and, importantly, more new jobs. Mr. Speaker, we need to learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time again. As the Recovery Act demonstrates, when we do, we can make a positive difference in the lives of our constituents, create jobs, and address the challenges we face together.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Ensuring Worker Safety Act as a means to help keep workers safe in Hawaii and across the country. In September of 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) found that under former Governor Linda Lingle, Hawaii had under-funded and systematically neglected its State Occupational Safety and Health Act plan (OSHA State plan). As a result, Hawaii did not have enough workplace inspections or on-site consultations to keep workers safe. Hawaii was the only State in the nation found breaking its State plan obligations. Unfortunately, for Hawaii and the 27 States/territories with approved State plans, DOL is extremely limited in its authority to help State plans improve. If DOL determines that an approved State plan is not ``at least as effective as'' Federal standards and enforcement, its only recourse is to terminate the State plan, a drastic step that would remove State control, leave State and local government employees unprotected, and add costs to DOL for funding and running a health and safety program in the State. To help States respond to this challenge, today I introduce the Ensuring Worker Safety Act, which would give Federal DOL options other than completely terminating an underperforming State plan. Specifically, the Ensuring Worker Safety Act: Establishes a formal mechanism for OSHA to identify a problem with a State plan and compel a remedy without beginning the process for withdrawing approval. Ensures continued application of health and safety regulations by providing OSHA with concurrent enforcement authority while a State plan is remedying deficiencies or being withdrawn, after 30 days notice of official Federal action and an opportunity for a public hearing. Holds Federal OSHA accountable for providing strong oversight and guidance to State plans by establishing a regular Government Accountability Office (GAO) study--one every five years--to look at the effectiveness of State plans and the Secretary of Labor's oversight of such plans. For her work on this bill in the 111th Congress, I thank my former colleague Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada. I look forward to her continued contributions to public service.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce three bills that will strengthen the existing Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Program by increasing the percentage of federal funding that goes to these important programs and increasing the size of the grants, which have significantly declined in real value since they were last authorized. The bills are H.R. 448, the Small Business Innovation Enhancement Act; H.R. 447, the SBIR Enhancement Act; and H.R. 449, the SBTT Enhancement Act. Small companies, like Cellular Bioengineering, Oceanit, and Archinoetics in Hawaii are a source of great innovative talent. However, too many great ideas never come to fruition because small entrepreneurial firms lack the resources they need to test an idea and bring it to fruition. The Small Business Innovation Research, SBIR, Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer, SBTT, Program have proven track records. The SBIR Program, for instance, has awarded some $16 billion in awards since 1983. Some 1.45 million people are employed in SBIR firms and these firms have 450,000 employees with graduate degrees in engineering and science--more than all U.S. academic institutions combined. However, the number of new firms entering into the SBIR program has declined drastically in recent years. Part of the reason is the difficulty in applying for grants and the fact that the grant maximum amount for Phase I of the program was limited to $100,000. My bill doubles that amount to $200,000. Phase I funding is used to explore the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of an idea or technology. Phase II funding, previously limited to a maximum of $750,000, is increased to $1.5 million in my bill. Phase II awards are given to companies that successfully complete phase I and can be used for R&D work as the developer moves to commercializing their invention. The Small Business Technology Transfer Program or SBTT is very similar to SBIR, but the grants are specifically designed to fund public/private collaborations between nonprofit research institutions and small businesses that want to develop commercial applications for technologies developed by those institutions. The SBTT program uses the same Phase I and Phase II funding formula as SBIR. Eligible nonprofit research institutions include U.S.-based nonprofit colleges or universities, domestic nonprofit research organizations, and federally funded R&D centers. The University of Hawaii would be an eligible institution for SBTT grants. Last year, when the House prohibited Members of Congress from seeking earmarks for private companies, I worried about the effect this would have on small high technology companies in Hawaii and throughout the country. I've been so impressed by the innovative scientists and engineers I've met and have proudly sought earmarks in the past to further their work. In the absence of earmarks, I believe that strengthening the SBIR and SBTT programs is our best chance to provide the opportunities these creative entrepreneurs need to create new businesses and products that will provide good jobs, strengthen our economy, and improve our quality of life. In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama highlighted the importance of encouraging private sector innovation to spur economic growth and exports. Passing my bills to strengthen SBIR and SBTT would be a good first step.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 13, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, Democrats' top priority is creating jobs. We want to work with Republicans to achieve this goal, but instead of focusing on jobs and growing the economy the new leadership has decided to start by debating H.R. 2, which will repeal patients' rights, put insurance companies back in charge, and add to the deficit. Yesterday, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held the only hearing the new Congress will have on this bill. We heard from families from Maine to Florida, from Rhode Island to Missouri, real people, real stories. Freedom was a common thread in their stories. Because of health care reform, these families are free from worrying about being denied coverage because of a preexisting condition and free from worrying about escalating medical debt because of lifetime caps on their insurance plans. These families now have a sense of security and peace of mind. For over 37 years, thanks to Hawaii's landmark Prepaid Health Care Act, our families have largely been protected from some of the most unfair insurance company practices, but health care reform is still helping thousands of families and small businesses across my State. A mother in Kailua, Hawaii contacted me to tell me that she can now add her 21-year-old son and 24-year-old daughter to her work-sponsored insurance plan. This mom used to pay $900 a month for just her daughter's health insurance and prescription drugs. Now she pays $300 a month to cover both of her children under her company's plan. This family used to spend $10,800 a year for health care for one child; now they spend $3,600 a year for health care for the entire family. I recently heard from a senior in Waimea on Hawaii Island who referred to her $250 Medicare doughnut hole rebate check as a blessing in these tough economic times. Let's be clear: The Patients' Rights Repeal Act will hurt, not help, middle class families and small businesses in Hawaii and across our Nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against H.R. 2. Mr. Speaker, listen to Stacie Ritter's story. Stacie is the mother of twin daughters, Hannah and Madeline, now 11, who were diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 4. Stacie has always worried about her daughters' health and having health insurance to cover the stem cell transplants and other cancer treatments. Because of health care reform, Stacie doesn't have to worry about the twins being denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. This repeal bill will allow insurance companies to deny Hannah and Madeline health insurance for the rest of their lives. The 19.4 million children in our country with pre-existing conditions would face the same fate. Listen to Dr. Odette Cohen, from Willingboro, New Jersey, a small business owner. The small business tax credits in the health care reform law not only lower the cost for her to provide good health insurance for her employees, but they also give her the flexibility to hire another nurse practitioner. She'll be seeing more patients and growing her business and helping the economy. According to Forbes Magazine, major health insurance companies around the country are reporting a significant increase in small businesses offering health care benefits to their employees. Repeal would either force small businesses to drop their employees' coverage or businesses would bear the full cost of insurance themselves. Speaker Boehner has pledged to listen to the people. Because of Hawaii's landmark Prepaid Health Care Act of 1974, which mandates that employers provide insurance coverage for their full-time employees, Hawaii's families have largely been spared from some of the most unfair insurance practices. But health care reform still helps thousands of families across our state. A mother in Kailua, Hawaii contacted me to thank us because she could now add her 21-year-old son and 24-year-old daughter to her work- sponsored insurance plan. This mom used to pay $700 a month for her daughter's health insurance and $200 a month out-of-pocket for her prescription drugs. Now, this mother pays just $300 a month to cover both of her children under her company's health plan. This family used to spend $10,800 a year for health care for one child. Now, they spend $3,600 a year for health care for the whole family. This family is using the money saved on health insurance for other household needs, including paying down past medical debt. Middle class families are saving money because of health care reform. Young adults, many of whom are having a hard time finding jobs, now have health insurance. Under H.R. 2, thousands of young adults will lose their insurance coverage, including 2,500 in Hawaii. Here's what else repealing health care reform will do to the people of Hawaii: 193,000 seniors in Hawaii who have Medicare coverage would be forced to pay a co-pay to receive important preventive services, like mammograms and colonoscopies. Medicare would no longer pay for an annual check-up visit, so 193,000 seniors in Hawaii who have Medicare coverage would have to pay extra if they want to stay healthy by getting regular check-ups. In Hawaii, 17,959 Medicare beneficiaries received a one-time, tax- free $250 rebate to help pay for prescription drugs in the ``donut hole'' coverage gap in 2010. I recently heard from a senior in Waimea on the island of Hawaii who referred to this check as a blessing. She was able to use that money to pay for her other medical bills. Medicare beneficiaries who fall into the ``donut hole'' in 2011 will be eligible for 50 percent discounts on covered brand name prescription drugs. Closing the Medicare donut hole is an especially critical issue for Hawaii as we are home to the Nation's largest percentage--36 percent compared to 26 percent--of Medicare beneficiaries that fall into this gap of prescription drug coverage. Without repeal, the burden of high prescription drug costs would hurt millions of Medicare beneficiaries across the country. An estimated 28,700 small businesses in Hawaii would no longer be eligible for the new federal tax credits that will help make providing health care coverage for their employees more affordable. Let's be clear, the Patients' Rights Repeal Act will hurt, not help middle class families in Hawaii and across our Nation. That's bad enough. But this repeal also expands the federal deficit. The non- partisan Congressional Budget Office reported that repealing the health reform law would increase the federal deficit by $230 billion over the next ten years and more than $1.2 trillion in the following decade. At a time when our focus needs to be on jobs, bills should pass the following 3-pronged test: 1) Does it create jobs? 2) Does it strengthen America's middle class? and 3) Does it reduce the deficit? On all counts, H.R. 2 is a resounding failure. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against H.R. 2. Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, Hawaii, like the rest of the United States, is entirely too dependent on imported fossil fuels. We must speed up the development of renewable energy technologies that can help wean us from our oil dependence and create economic growth at home. If we sow the seeds of renewable energy innovation today, we will be able to reap the benefits for years to come. Today I introduce the Renewable Energy Applied Partnerships (REAP) Act. This bill will create a Department of Energy pilot program to provide grants to partnerships which will include community colleges and universities, businesses, nonprofits, labor organizations, state education agencies, National Academies, and other public agencies. These partnership grants can be used to train teachers, recruit students, design renewable energy instructional programs, and encourage collaboration between faculty and industry partners. The bill builds on the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to help students learn practical skills for future careers in renewable energy and STEM fields. Partnerships will also receive priority if they can demonstrate long-term sustainability without continued federal funding. Hawaii is at the forefront of innovation in the renewable energy sector, and I have visited many existing cross-sector partnerships in wind, solar, biofuels, and other renewable energy technology. It is my hope that this bill will help support the very best of these collaborations in Hawaii and around the country, to create jobs and train the next generation of renewable energy workers. For his work on this bill last Congress, I thank my former colleague, Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, the first Iraq War veteran in Congress and a fighter for STEM education in Pennsylvania and nationwide.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I thank the gentleman. The day before this terrible tragedy, Gabby had reached out to a friend of hers, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, a Republican, to talk to him about ways that we all could tone down the political rhetoric and partisanship. At this point we don't know what drove the gunman to commit this horrible act of violence. Regardless of whether his actions have a causal connection with an increasingly negative tone of our political discourse, I think this tragedy should give us all pause to reflect. Just as we have all come together today to honor the victims of this tragedy, I believe we can honor Gabby by going forward with a heightened commitment to respect each other, listen to each other's points of view and come up with policies that will strengthen our Nation. We must go forward together. Mahalo nui loa.

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues today in support of this resolution and associate myself with the eloquent and heartfelt expressions of condolences and comfort from my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. And hearing the wonderful stories about Gabby told on this floor help capture the warmth and humanity that is Gabby Giffords. The shock, horror, and tears that followed the unfolding of the terrible news from Arizona, it's like just yesterday. Here was Gabby, out on the first day after we finished votes to meet with her constituents at a Congress on your Corner, an event that many of us do in our own districts. She was joined by her dedicated staff and a large number of constituents who wanted to talk with her, including a third grader so excited to meet with her Congressperson, who had just been elected to an office in her elementary school. I send my condolences on behalf of all of the people of Hawaii to the families of those who lost loved ones in this senseless act of violence. And I'm going to say their names again because they must not be forgotten: John Roll, 63, chief judge for the U.S. District of Arizona; Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman, 30, Representative Giffords' director of community outreach; Christina Taylor Green, 9 years old, a beautiful and bright girl who should have had a chance for a full life; Dorothy Morris, 76, whose husband was critically injured trying to protect her during the shootings; Phyllis Schneck, 79, mother of three, grandmother of seven; Dorwan Stoddard, 76, who shielded his wife, Mavy, who was also wounded. Our prayers are with those who are struggling to recover from their injuries, including our dear friend and my classmate, Gabby, Gabby's husband, Mark Kelly, and all of the family members of the victims. We are all one family. As we say in Hawaii, ohana, united in our collective grief and prayers.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, the latest results of international tests just came in. On the Program for International Student Assessment, PISA, 15-year-olds in the United States rank 25th in math--below average--among their peers in the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development, OECD, nations. Our 15-year-olds rank 17th place--only average--in science. To compete for the jobs of the future, the United States can and must do better. Today I introduce the Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics, STEM, Teacher Tax Incentive Act of 2011, one small step to help restore our strength in STEM education and our nation's economic competitiveness. Research has shown that teacher quality is the most important factor affecting student achievement. We need more highly effective teachers to help excite and inspire our students about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This bill will provide a tax credit to encourage those who major in STEM fields to join and stay in the teaching profession. The tax credit can be used to help repay undergraduate tuition, and is 50 percent greater for qualified STEM teachers who teach in high-needs schools. In Hawaii, I have visited dozens of schools and STEM teachers who are working day in, day out to inspire the next generation of leaders. These teachers engage their students through innovative programs like Waianae High School's Searider Productions and robotics initiatives, where our students compete successfully across our islands, nationally, and internationally. The Hawaii Department of Education's winning Race-to-the-Top plan outlines efforts to increase students' access to highly qualified teachers in STEM and other hard-to-staff subjects. This bill can help supplement Hawaii DOE's efforts. For his work on this bill in past congresses, I thank my former colleague Congressman Vern Ehlers, Republican of Michigan. Although he retired from his role as a legislator in December 2010, I look forward to his continued contributions as a nuclear physics professor. Thank you also to the other members of the Congressional STEM Education Caucus for their partnership in this and other initiatives to promote STEM Education.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. ``The word `the' being interlined between the seventh and eighth lines of the first page; the word `thirty' being partly written on an erazure in the 15th line of the first page; the words `is tried' being interlined between the 32nd and 33rd lines of the first page; and the word `the' being interlined between the 43rd and the 44th lines of the second page.''

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill that will significantly improve traffic safety and mobility in our national parks and other public recreational lands through increased funding and expanded authorities. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, the Transportation Infrastructure Improvements on Federal Lands Act of 2010. Our national parks contain some of the most important and valuable historic, cultural, and natural treasures in our country. Millions of visitors flock to these parks every year. Yet safe access to and movement around these sites are compromised by severe and chronic underfunding and irrational provisions in current law. The state of park transportation systems is deplorable. A recent assessment by the National Park Service, NPS, found that 90 percent of the park roads are in poor or fair condition. This compares with 14 percent for major rural roads in the overall federal-aid highways system. One person is killed or injured on a park road every 4.5 hours. If the National Park System were a State, it would rank 13th highest for road fatalities and injuries among all the States. The NPS received $240 million in FY2010 through the Park Roads and Parkways program to build, repair, and rehabilitate roads and bridges, less than a third of what the NPS estimates it needs to provide safe and efficient access for visitors. My legislation would double the annual funding to accelerate the retirement of the growing road repair backlog now estimated at $4.9 billion. The poor state of park roads is not caused by insufficient funding alone. Under current law, Federal highway funds can be used for reconstruction and rehabilitation, but not for regular maintenance that would help extend the life of the roadway and preserve taxpayers' investment. Consequently, maintenance of roads and bridges is deferred until they have deteriorated to the point where they qualify for major rehabilitation or reconstruction, at far greater expense. Visitors are put at risk when they try to drive around potholes that pock our park roads. My legislation would make regular maintenance of park roads eligible for federal highway funding. As our national parks become increasingly crowded, alternative transportation systems are being relied upon to a much greater extent to help move visitors around. Unfortunately, that program is also severely underfunded. A third major focus of my bill would raise the annual funding level for the Federal public lands transit program from the current $24 million to $100 million, with 60 percent of it being targeted for qualified projects in national parks. Visitors from throughout our country and around the world are discovering the natural, cultural, and historic wonders that are embodied in our national parks. Their experience should not be diminished, and their safety certainly should not be placed at risk, while they visit our national parks. I urge you to join me in sponsoring this legislation to improve visitor safety and enjoyment of our parks through improved maintenance and management of its transportation systems.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Judge Samuel P. King of the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Judge King passed away on December 7, 2010, at the age of 94. His deep love for Hawaii was evident in his rulings and in the way he carried himself throughout his life. Samuel Pailthorpe King was born on April 13, 1916, in Hankow, China, to Samuel Wilder King and Pauline Nawahineokalai Evans. The elder King would later serve in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii (1935-1943) and as Territorial Governor of Hawaii (1953-1957). Samuel P. King was a graduate of Punahou School in Honolulu. He also attended Yale University, where he received a B.S. in 1937 and Yale Law School, where he graduated with an LL.B. in 1940. During World War II, King joined the United States Navy and served as a Japanese language translator from 1942 to 1946. He continued his service in the Naval Reserve from 1946 to 1967. King began to practice law in Honolulu in 1946. In 1956, he became a district magistrate for the City and County of Honolulu. Hawaii Governor William F. Quinn appointed King to a judgeship in the First Circuit Court where he served from 1961 to 1970. In 1966, King joined Judge Gerald R. Corbett in founding Hawaii's Family Court system. In 1970, King resigned as a judge and ran as a Republican for Governor of Hawaii. After losing to incumbent Governor John A. Burns, King returned to private law practice. On May 22, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon nominated King to the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. King was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 28, 1972. He began serving as chief judge in 1974. After 10 years as chief judge, King assumed senior status. With nearly five decades on the bench, Judge Samuel P. King has left a legal legacy that includes decisions ranging from upholding Hawaii's land reform law to halting construction of the H-3 freeway to protecting the rights of the mentally ill. Judge King was one of five co-authors of the ``Broken Trust'' essay published in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 1997. That essay, written by prominent members of the Native Hawaiian community, was instrumental in bringing change to the leadership and conduct of the Bishop Estate trust that was established to promote the education and wellbeing of Native Hawaiian children. In a 1998 interview, Judge King said, ``I know one thing. Every judge has an obligation: If you see something wrong in the community, you speak out against it.'' With Broken Trust, Judge King did just that. According to those closest to him, Judge King was particularly proud of his decision protecting the endangered Palila, a 6-inch finch-billed member of the Hawaiian honeycreeper family. In 1979, Judge King ruled that the State of Hawaii had to protect the bird by eliminating wild goats and sheep from the Palila's only natural habitat on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. He ruled that the Palila had standing in the federal court system, and he monitored the bird's welfare for the rest of his life. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill that would expand the forest habitat of native birds found nowhere else but in the State of Hawaii. The Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act (H.R. 5380) will help preserve Hawaii's unique animals and plants. As the Member of Congress representing one of the most beautiful and ecologically important places in our world, like Judge King, I believe species conservation is a part of my obligation to Hawaii. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Judge King's wife of 66 years, Anne Van Patten Grilk King; his son, Samuel, Jr.; his daughters, Louise King Lanzilotti and Charlotte King Stretch; and his six grandchildren. Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise in reluctant opposition to H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act. Two weeks ago, I voted for a better bill, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act, which passed the House but was not taken up by the Senate. That bill would have extended tax cuts for middle class taxpayers, including about 323,000 lower- and middle-income families in my congressional district who make less than $200,000 (under $250,000 for joint filers). The bill that is on the floor today extends tax cuts on all income levels, including the wealthiest Americans, costing $407.6 billion. Under this bill, the millionaires and billionaires can sleep soundly, secure in the knowledge that their tax cuts will continue for at least another two years, while the unemployed get relief for only 13 months. Economists predict that many millions will continue to be unemployed beyond the 13 months. This deal is weighted so heavily toward the richest few that the unemployed only receive 7 percent of the total package. We must fight for a better deal. But my biggest concern has to do with a threat to the solvency of Social Security contained in the legislation. The so-called ``payroll tax holiday'' in H.R. 4853 raids the Social Security Trust Fund. Anyone who cares about Social Security should be scared by this. This provision reduces the Social Security payroll tax and self-employment tax by two percentage points in 2011. Payroll taxes provide dedicated funding for the Social Security Trust Fund, which is completely separate from the General Fund. Under this bill, these Social Security funds will be repaid by $112 billion from the General Fund. But this ``one-time'' infusion from the General Fund puts us on a slippery slope. While this payroll tax holiday expires in one year, there is a serious question as to whether expiration will occur. We can expect a bill to extend this payroll tax holiday because any other outcome would be characterized as a tax increase. A permanent decrease in the Social Security payroll tax will put the Social Security Trust Fund in jeopardy. Republicans will be one step closer to their stated goal of privatizing and dismantling Social Security's safety net. If we want to put more money in the hands of families, we could look at cutting a check for families from the General Fund, but weakening the funding source for Social Security is too risky. In Hawaii, Social Security benefits serve as a lifeline for 220,000 seniors, disabled people, and dependents. Thousands of my constituents have urged me to preserve Social Security, and I have consistently acted to do so. Earlier this year, I spoke on the House floor in support of preserving this bedrock promise to our nation's seniors and fighting Republicans' plans to privatize or reduce benefits. I also signed a letter to the Fiscal Commission urging that any plans to reduce the deficit make no cuts to Social Security or change the retirement age. This bill truly is a raw deal for American seniors. One of my constituents in Hilo calls the proposal a ``bomb of a cut to Social Security taxes.'' A majority of Americans oppose cutting Social Security payroll funding and are willing to pay more so that they can be assured that they will get benefits when they retire or become disabled. I don't make pledges lightly, but I pledge that I will vote to return dedicated Social Security payroll tax funding should it be brought up for a vote next year. Further, this legislation gives an estate tax giveaway to only 6,600 families in our entire country, giving them each an average additional tax cut of more than $1.5 million. According to the Tax Policy Center, the new tax would affect the smallest number of estates in any year since 1934. This tax giveaway to the richest families in the country will cost us more than $68 billion, adding to our deficit without creating jobs or strengthening our economy. The Levin/Pomeroy Amendment makes the bill a bit fairer by taxing estates at the 2009 rate of 45 percent and covering estates over $3.5 million, not the $5 million in the Senate bill. This amendment would save $23 billion. Extending estate tax relief for two years at the 2009 rate provides Americans with some certainty for estate planning in a way that is much more reasonable and fair than that proposed by the Senate bill. The key components of this bill that I strongly support include the extension of tax cuts for the middle class and the extension of unemployment insurance for Americans who lost their jobs because of this difficult economy. In addition to my recent vote on extending tax cuts for the middle class, I voted to extend unemployment benefits seven times this year alone. We've had numerous opportunities to extend the tax cuts for the middle class and extend unemployment benefits. The majority of Republicans voted against these proposals time and again. On balance, I cannot in good conscience vote for this bill in its present form. The $858 billion price tag and true cost of the bill--tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and the impact of the ``payroll tax holiday'' on Social Security--far outweigh the benefits. This bill is blackmail, holding the unemployed and middle class hostage to give a special deal to the millionaires and billionaires. We must fight for a better deal. I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation unless we are able to vote on a bill that genuinely helps the working families that we are here to represent.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2965, the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' Repeal Act. As an original cosponsor of the House versions of related legislation that was introduced in the 110th (2007-2008) and 111th (2009-2010) Congress, I strongly support this stand-alone measure, which would repeal the ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy that discriminates against military personnel based on their sexual orientation. Enforcement of this policy has not only wasted millions of taxpayer dollars but has caused irreparable harm to our military by dismissing more than 12,000 well-trained and qualified members of the Armed Forces. If enacted, this legislation will strengthen our military and help protect our national security interests. This past May, I voted for an amendment to the FY2011 defense authorization bill that would have repealed this policy. Unfortunately, the amendment and the underlying legislation passed the House only to languish in the Senate. Congress must finally repeal this law and replace it with a policy of inclusion and non-discrimination so that justice and equality can be restored for the gay and lesbian servicemembers fighting for our country. Many of my constituents, including members of our military and veterans who served in our Armed Forces, have contacted me to express support for repealing ``don't ask, don't tell.'' I recently received an e-mail from a constituent who has been on active duty for over 20 years and wants this policy repealed so that his fellow soldiers can serve openly and honestly without having to worry about ``living a lie'' and continuing to suffer from bigotry. This view is not only shared by nearly eight in 10 Americans but corresponds with findings from the recently released Defense Department's Comprehensive Review Working Group report. This report revealed that a large majority of troops were comfortable with the prospect of overturning longstanding restrictions on gays in uniform and expected that it would have little to no effect on their units. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have testified before Congress in support of this report's recommendations, urging Congress to vote to repeal the flawed ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy. Repealing this policy will ensure that our men and women in uniform can serve our country with dignity and integrity and without fear of discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1377, which recognizes the accomplishments of a great American and a role model for the entire American Asian and Pacific Islander community-- Norman Yoshio Mineta. Secretary Mineta's long list of accomplishments have and continue to be a source of great pride to the Asian American community. At a time when few Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders were visible in the public sector, Norm was elected to Congress and rose to become Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, on which I currently serve. I am always happy to see his face among the many portraits of chairmen lining the walls of the committee room. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush. I especially remember Norm's swearing in as Secretary of Commerce. I met Norm shortly after becoming Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor. We quickly became friends. I was so thrilled when I learned of his appointment as Secretary of Commerce that I flew up to Washington on very short notice to attend his swearing-in ceremony. In addition to his more publicly acknowledged accomplishments, Norm is well recognized as a champion for ensuring the full participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in American life. He is an acknowledged leader in attaining redress for Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II. As a child, his family was relocated to an internment camp so he understood well how the injustice, hardship, and humiliation of this shameful episode impacted the Japanese American community. As a member of Congress, he established the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), which remains active today. We are all proud of Norm and thankful for all he did during his many years of public and private service. But I also want to say something about the man. He is a delight. Norm is a great storyteller; he has great comic timing and a wonderful sense of humor. I feel very lucky to call him friend. Norman Mineta exemplifies the Japanese concept of gaman--to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity. He was dealt a difficult hand in being uprooted with his family and forced to live behind barbed wire for the sin of being of Japanese ethnicity. But he has created a beautiful life full of accomplishment, the love of friends and family, and the knowledge that he has truly made a difference.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise to add my voice to those who are here to give thanks to our chairman, Jim Oberstar, for his extraordinary service to our Nation as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. I certainly count myself fortunate because as a new Member of Congress and a fledgling member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have the example of Jim Oberstar as my chairman. I remember the first time I ever met Jim Oberstar. I was just taken with the breadth of his knowledge, his commitment, and he said to me that this committee, which is the largest in the House, is also one of the most bipartisan committees because everybody needs bridges, harbor, roads, airports. Very true. I don't expect that I will ever be as knowledgeable or articulate on any subject as he is on all aspects of transportation policy, but it's good to aim high. Of course, at this point, it would be pretty much impossible for me to match his 47 years on the committee first as a clerk, next as an administrator, then as a Member, and finally, as an outstanding chairman. Chairman Oberstar has been the clearest, strongest, and most vigorous advocate for restoring America's transportation and infrastructure system. He is recognized and admired in my State of Hawaii, one of the few chairmen--I hope that will change over time--who has come to the State of Hawaii to see for himself firsthand the challenges we face. But we admire him. We love him in Hawaii for his support of our first and only rail transit systems and for his understanding of the importance of keeping our vital infrastructure strong. I recently met with the president and CEO of Hawaii's largest airline. And he reiterated what I hear from many business people in my State; that is, if there is one thing that government can do to help our economy, it is to help repair and improve and maintain our infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, you have been right on the money. What will I remember most about Jim? I will remember his heartfelt stories about his father, a union mineworker. I'll remember our white- knuckled flight over the Honolulu rail route in a helicopter without doors. I'll remember how generous he's been with his time and guidance, from taking time out of his personal time in Hawaii to review infrastructure needs on Maui to joining me in a live video feed with infrastructure stakeholders in Hawaii. And I remember the flight we took over Maui. And we flew, Jim and his wife, Jean, his partner in life, over the open ocean from Lanai to Maui, and we looked down, and we saw the whales, and it was really something. And Jim, who knows everything about infrastructure, looked down on Maui Island and said, My gosh, you really are vulnerable to things like earthquakes because you are islands, and you just can't drive from one island to another. And that is why it is so important that Jim came to my State to see for himself, not just to intellectually realize, we are an island State and that I represent seven inhabited islands that I can only get to by air. I will remember his intense interest in everything witnesses had to say during our T&I hearings. I will remember Chairman Oberstar, and I will certainly miss him. I strongly suspect that all the people of Minnesota, not just those of the 8th Congressional District, will miss him as well. My very best to you, Jim, and to your wonderful wife Jean. Mahalo lui noa. Aloha.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Seniors Protection Act. I am an original cosponsor of this crucial legislation to provide Social Security recipients with a one-time $250 payment in 2011 to help seniors make ends meet. This bill is in response to the Social Security Administration's October announcement that there will be no automatic Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment next year for Social Security recipients because the trigger did not come into play because of the recession. More than 160,000 seniors in Hawaii receive Social Security benefits. Over 1,000 of them took the time to write, e-mail, or call me to share their need for a COLA this year. In Hawaii and nationwide, seniors have seen their cost of living go up, whether in medical costs, uncovered prescription drug costs, or utility bills. Meanwhile, the recession that began under President George W. Bush has hit seniors' savings in pensions, IRAs, and 401(k)s especially hard. The Seniors Protection Act will provide our seniors with a modest financial boost to help get by. Nationwide, three out of every five seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income. The average retiree receives $14,000 in Social Security benefits. This bill's $250 payment will help seniors, veterans, railroad retirees and people with disabilities who receive Social Security. In 1975, a majority Democratic Congress passed a law to automatically provide a cost-of-living increase for Social Security each year, using a formula based on inflation within the overall economy. For the first time in 30 years, as a result of the Bush Recession, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was not high enough to trigger an automatic increase for 2010. Although our economy continues to recover, the formula will once again not provide an increase in 2011. I support efforts to improve the Social Security COLA formula using the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Workers (CPI-E). In the meantime, the Seniors Protection Act before us today will provide a one-time payment of $250 in lieu of the 2011 increase. The Seniors Protection Act currently has 158 Democratic cosponsors, but not one SINGLE Republican cosponsor. Instead, in recent months, leading House Republicans have called again for President George W. Bush's plan to privatize Social Security and leave seniors' hard-earned benefits up to the whims of the stock market. I recently celebrated Social Security's 75th Birthday at an event at the Kapolei Branch of the Social Security Administration. As I said there and have said many times before, I will continue to fight to preserve Social Security benefits so seniors can help make ends meet.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5218, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2010. Our Nation was founded on the powerful ideals of freedom and tolerance. These are values that still elude other nations to this day, which is why the American Dream endures in the minds of so many around the world. As an immigrant to this country myself, I know the power of that dream. That I could become a member of the People's House shows that the dream can come true. The DREAM Act would provide conditional nonimmigrant status to a specific and narrow class of young individuals who must then meet tight program deadlines and rigorous requirements. Every person who is eligible for this status has already been in the United States and has been for many years. This bill allows them a path forward to making a real life for themselves in their home country, America. The DREAM Act is supported by educators, religious leaders, and social service organizations from across the spectrum. I include for reprinting in the Congressional Record, a letter I have received from Papa Ola Lokahi, a non-profit organization that promotes the health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians, in support of the bill. It is also worth noting that the Department of Defense's strategic plan recommends the enactment of the DREAM Act to help the military ``shape and maintain a mission-ready All Volunteer Force.'' I want to share the story of Mohammed Abdollahi, one of the first undocumented students to risk the possibility of deportation to illustrate the real life import of the bill before us today. Mohammed came to America from Iran as a three-year-old when his father was accepted for a Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan. But due to an error in the processing of an immigration form--the family paid $20 less than required--their application to stay in the U.S. was rejected. Mohammad, now 24 years old, is a product of the public education system of Michigan, graduating from both high school and community college in that state. As a young gay man, Mohammed risked the possibility of deportation to a country where he knows neither the language nor the culture--and worse, where homosexuality is punished with torture and executions. He so strongly believes in the DREAM Act that he risks everything, including his very life, to ask that we, the Congress, support this bill. There are thousands of young people, including in Hawaii, whose stories I have heard who came to this country as a young person and are now facing the nightmare of deportation. I urge my colleagues to have the courage to do what is right for Mohammed and other high-achieving and patriotic students like him and vote for the DREAM Act. Papa Ola Lokahi, Honolulu, Hawaii, December 1, 2010. Hon. Mazie Hirono, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Hirono: As leaders of the diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we write to urge you to vote for the DREAM Act should this important legislation come to the floor of the United States House of Representatives. With Asian immigrants comprising roughly 40 percent of all immigrants, passage of the DREAM Act, as a stepping stone towards comprehensive immigration reform, is a top priority for the AAPI community. The DREAM Act would create a path to legalization for individuals without documentation who were brought to this country as children, by no choice of their own, and have since excelled in high school and chosen to serve in our nation's armed forces or pursue higher education. The DREAM Act is aptly named because it would allow these talented individuals the opportunity to become citizens and fully contribute to America. Passage of this important legislation makes sense for America's economy and our national defense. According to a recent study conducted by UCLA, the combined income generated by individuals who would be eligible for adjustment of status under the DREAM Act would amount to $3.6 trillion over the next 40 years. The Department of Defense acknowledges the importance of the DREAM Act and lists passage of the bill as pail of the Department's strategic plan in order to maintain a mission-ready volunteer military. More than the economic benefits of the DREAM Act, passing this legislation is the right thing to do, There are an estimated 65,000 students who graduate from high school every year without legal immigration status--including many Asian American and Pacific Islander students. In the University of California system alone, approximately 40-44% of the undocumented student population is AAPI. David Cho, a Korean- American honor student and leader of the UCLA marching band, who hopes to join the U.S. Air Force upon graduation, is just one of the students who would benefit from the DREAM Act. Steve Li, a Chinese-American nursing student from San Francisco whose parents fled China to avoid that country's one-child policy, faced imminent deportation until Senator Feinstein introduced a private bill delaying his removal. A college honor student who dreams of giving back to the U.S. by becoming a doctor, Joanna Kim, also faces deportation and the DREAM Act is her best hope for gaining legal status. These young people embody our American values of hard work and giving back to society. Now is the best opportunity we have to pass the DREAM Act and take one small step toward comprehensive immigration reform. The DREAM Act is an excellent opportunity for Congress to show voters they can, and will, work together to fix our broken immigration system. These high- achieving students deserve a chance to contribute fully to the U.S. and pursue the American Dream. We urge you to vote for the DREAM Act. Sincerely, Hardy Spoehr, Executive Director. Me ka oia `i` o, Momi Imaikalani Fernandez, Census Information Center and Data & Information, Director.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Native Hawaiian Medicaid Coverage Act of 2010. This legislation is a companion to S. 52, which was introduced earlier this year by Senator Daniel K. Inouye. This legislation would allow for 100 percent coverage under the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percent (FMAP) formula for Native Hawaiians who are Medicaid eligible and access care from Federally Qualified Health Centers or through the Native Hawaiian Health Care System. Native Hawaiians, like American Indians and Alaska Natives, are an indigenous, native people. Currently, states receive a 100 percent FMAP reimbursement for health care services provided through Indian Health Services facilities. The bill I am introducing today would bring parity in the treatment of our country's Native peoples. Congress has previously recognized the unique and historical relationship between the United States and the indigenous people of Hawaii. I ask for my colleagues' continued support for the health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I thank the gentlewoman from Maine for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of the rule and the bill we are voting on today, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act. This bill will help millions of Americans who are trying to make ends meet by providing them with sorely needed tax relief. The Middle Class Tax Relief Act permanently extends the tax cuts for middle class taxpayers so that individuals who make less than $200,000 a year, under $250,000 for joint filers, will get the tax relief they need. This legislation would help about 323,000 lower-and middle-income families in my congressional district alone. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made it clear that they won't vote for this bill because it doesn't meet their highest priority--continuing the status quo of providing tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. On the one hand, they claim to be concerned about reducing the $13.8 trillion national debt, opposing an extension of unemployment benefits for the nearly 2 million Americans who desperately need the assistance, including more than 4,000 in Hawaii. Not only is this reprehensible, it is bad math. A recent Labor Department report shows for every dollar spent on unemployment insurance, $2 are reinvested into the economy. On the other hand, continuing tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, the richest 2 percent of Americans, would add a whooping $700 billion to our deficit over 10 years. These tax breaks would not trickle-down to create more jobs or help our economic recovery. In fact, they would add to our deficit. And, by the way, these richest taxpayers will also get the benefit of this tax relief in this bill for their first $200,000 of income. Why should this group of taxpayers then get an additional benefit that 98 percent of Americans will not. Mr. Speaker, this is about fairness. We need to fight for working families and let the tax breaks for the wealthy expire so that they can start to pay their fair share of taxes. Today's vote on this bill will let the American people, the 98 percent who don't make $200,000 a year, including 323,000 families in Hawaii, know who is on their side fighting for them. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 589, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act, S. 3307, the largest Federal effort in 30 years to fight childhood obesity and hunger in Hawaii and nationwide. Our keiki's health is a crucial priority. I will vote to send this landmark child nutrition bill to President Obama for his signature. We've seen the statistics. Hawaii faced a 15 percent increase in diabetes rates from 2005 to 2009, and 28.5 percent of youth in Hawaii ages 10-17 are obese. Meanwhile, 9.1 percent of Hawaii residents are ``food insecure,'' lacking consistent access to enough food for a healthy and productive life. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will take crucial steps to fight childhood obesity. The new law will authorize a higher reimbursement rate for schools that serve healthier meals. This is the first reimbursement rate increase in 30 years. The law will apply the latest dietary guidelines to all food served in schools, keeping junk food and soda out of vending machines and the cafeteria. Over 100,000 Hawaii students participate in the Federal school lunch program. I have visited school gardens at several schools in Hawaii, seeing firsthand how Farm-to-School programs can teach children about healthy eating as part of the curriculum. These programs can also help Hawaii farmers get their food into local schools. The new law includes $40 million in grants for Farm-to-School programs nationwide. Hungry kids cannot learn. To fight child hunger, the new law will increase reimbursements for programs serving after-school, weekend, and summer meals. The law will also make it easier for schools to automatically enroll students in school lunch and breakfast programs using existing poverty data from Medicaid, foster care, Census, or the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Currently, schools in many States require families to submit a cumbersome paper application form each year. The new law also will fund school wellness policies to help schools promote nutrition and physical education. To help new mothers and our youngest children, the bill will support a healthier food packet for over 37,000 Hawaii participants in the Women, Infants and Children, WIC, program, integrating support for breastfeeding and the latest research on neonatal nutrition. I want to acknowledge that this bill is not as strong as I or some of my constituents would have liked. As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I voted for a stronger version of the child nutrition bill that maintained Recovery Act support for SNAP, food stamp, benefits and included an innovative amendment to support plant- based and nondairy food in schools. The House bill also included my amendment to increase reimbursement rates for areas such as Hawaii that have higher food costs. I will continue fighting for these initiatives in the future, but the Senate bill before us today is our last, best hope to make crucial improvements in child nutrition this year. Next year's incoming House leadership has expressed clear opposition to these investments in child nutrition.