Mazie Hirono

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I am in support of S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. I am a cosponsor of this bill and look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation. The grants created by this act have helped ensure services to domestic violence victims since 1994. VAWA has helped raise public awareness on an issue that too often went unreported and ignored under the guise of politeness and privacy by family, friends, and neighbors. Yet, while VAWA has raised awareness, increased reporting, and provided victims of domestic violence and similar crimes with better services and protection against perpetrators, there is still much work to be done to eliminate these crimes. Specifically, I am concerned about the high instances of domestic violence in Indian Country. I am pleased that S. 47 includes language to provide tribal governments the force they need to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators who commit these crimes on tribal land. There is no reason a non-Indian perpetrator should go unpunished because a tribe lacked jurisdiction over him or her, and it is especially egregious that in such cases, the perpetrator may go unpunished for crimes committed on tribal land. Every citizen of this Nation deserves the safety and security that comes with a peaceful home and safe relationship. Indeed, I believe noncitizen immigrants who have moved to this country and found themselves trapped in an unsafe relationship or family setting also deserve the protections provided by VAWA. S. 47 provides the types of protections necessary to assist law enforcement in prosecuting crimes that might otherwise have gone unreported by immigrants fearful of losing their status. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting S. 47 and will work to make the bill and the services and protections it provides as strong as possible.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I now yield such time as he may consume to my good friend from California, Congressman Mike Honda.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to my friend from California, Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to my good friend from Alaska, Congressman Don Young.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as she may consume to my friend and colleague from Hawaii, Congresswoman Hanabusa.

Ms. HIRONO. I would now like to yield such time as she may consume to my friend from California (Ms. Chu).

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of my colleagues who came to the floor tonight to share their experiences and thoughts about Senator Inouye, as well as all my other colleagues who express their condolences to Irene Hirano Inouye, his wife; his son, Ken; his daughter-in-law; his granddaughter, Maggie; and all those who have expressed and shared their experiences with Senator Inouye. This is a man who touched so many lives, not just in Hawaii, but all across the country. And we all know at this point what a great Senator he was and all of the good works that he did, but at a time like this, we often hear from just individuals who want to share their very human stories about individual kindnesses that he showed. In fact, one of my colleagues today said, Did you know that I was at a function where it was raining, and he held an umbrella over my head with his one good arm for an hour? Or how much he cared about the Hansen's disease patients in Kalaupapa, and he invited them to Oahu to meet with the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, so that the Secretary could hear from these residents who often did not get to travel very much, who could share with the Secretary their own concerns and to ask for his help, and they were helped. So it is always a human dimension to what Senator Inouye did that always struck me, and he did so in a very quiet way. So we honor him, we thank him, and his last word before he passed on was, ``Aloha.'' Senator, we bid you aloha. We love you. Aloha. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HIRONO. I would now like to yield as much time as he consumes to my colleague from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Kilili Sablan.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I also ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 839.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, my State of Hawaii and our Nation lost a truly great man, Senator Daniel K. Inouye. He began serving our country when he was only 17 years old, joining the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. At that time, many questioned the patriotism of people who looked like him, but for Senator Inouye that was precisely why he joined the service. He was a true patriot. He loved this country and was willing to do whatever he could to defend it. In fact, he lost his arm charging a series of machine gun nests on a hill on San Terenzo, Italy, on April 21, 1945. His heroic actions rightly earned him the Medal of Honor. He was the embodiment of the Greatest Generation: courage, sacrifice, humility, and love of country. It's why the commitment to serve and protect those who fight for our country has always been one he took personally. It's why he always stood up for the ideals of freedom and justice that our country is founded upon, because he saw firsthand what happens when we don't. And it's why he was always proud to stand up for our heritage in Hawaii. The truth is, Senator Inouye deeply loved our beautiful State of Hawaii. Half a century ago, he had a vision of the Hawaii we inherit from him today. Over his many decades of service, he displayed a builder's skill, pouring the foundation of the modern and vibrant Hawaii that is his legacy. And so the greatest tribute we can pay Senator Inouye is to acquire his vision, apply his skills, and build on the remarkable foundation he laid for us, from strengthening our schools and university to building our roads and bridges. And just today, our State marked another milestone led by Senator Inouye. We signed a full funding grant agreement with the U.S. Government for our Oahu rail project. This was a project championed by Senator Inouye through many years, through many ups and downs. The Senator saw the future of Hawaii often before others did; and when he saw something that was going to better the lives of the people in Hawaii, he always fought for it. This is probably one of the things he will be remembered for the most, his tenacity in fighting for the people of Hawaii and for doing what is right. And while he may have been a fierce competitor, he was always a gentle spirit. In a Washington that, at times, is so torn apart by partisanship, Dan Inouye always worked to defuse that situation and bring us together. He understood that words mattered as much as actions, and he always worked to elevate the debate. And he stood by his friends, no matter their political stripes. It's why we've all heard from people on both sides of the aisle, and some who are speaking today, who are so saddened by his death by what our country lost this week. I received a message from our good friend and brother, Eni Faleomavaega from American Samoa. He is traveling overseas and asked that I mention his deep condolences to the people of Hawaii. Eni, like so many, calls Senator Inouye a mentor. He taught us all lessons we'll never forget. Simply put, Senator Inouye was an extraordinary person, a giant in the Senate, who accomplished so much for the people of Hawaii and our Nation. It is now up to us to carry on that work, to realize his vision, to draw upon his strength, his strength of purpose and strength of character, to do what is right. I know the people of Hawaii join me today in pledging to do just that. Aloha, Senator Inouye. General Leave

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. I stand here today to give tribute to my friend, Hawaii's senior Senator--our country's senior Senator--Daniel K. Inouye. With your passing, my friend, I want to tell you that no one can fill your shoes. In Hawaii, we jokingly say that there are three economic drivers in our State: tourism, defense, and Senator Inouye. And it's true. His work and his unselfishness in serving his State and country are unparalleled. He served our country during war at a time when people who looked like him were not considered American citizens. He did it and served our country honorably and with respect and with incredible strength and character. He did it because he believed in what our country should and could be. Our country--great; our country--about service; our country-- about our children and our future; our country--honorable. His personal legacy in my home State of Hawaii could and will never be matched. Never. Hawaii, we will never be able to thank Senator Inouye for his service and what he has done for us. It is too great to put into words, and it cannot be done in a 5-minute tribute. But what I want to give my aloha and thanks to Senator Inouye for, is bigger than all of us: for his commitment to serve and protect our brave men and women who fight for our country, for his dedication and willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion, for standing up for the ideals of freedom and justice that our country is founded upon, for always standing up for our proud heritage in Hawaii. Senator Inouye was, as so many have recognized, a genuine patriot, a uniquely proud American, and a man and a leader always true to his word. But Senator Inouye was also an architect and a builder. Half a century ago, he had an architect's vision of the Hawaii we inherit from him today. Over his many decades of service, he displayed a builder's skill--pouring the foundation of the modern and vibrant Hawaii that we inherit from him today. That is his legacy. So the greatest tribute we can pay Senator Inouye is to acquire his vision, to apply his skills and build on the remarkable foundation he laid for us. I know this is the tribute that I will pay to my friend. I know this is the tribute that the people of Hawaii will pay to Senator Inouye. Hawaii drew incredible strength from the life and service of Dan Inouye, and it is that very strength--strength of purpose and strength of character--that will keep Hawaii and our country strong for years to come. The Senator Inouye I knew and loved, and that we all loved and respected, would expect this of Hawaii and us, and we will not let him down.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Our country joins the people of Newtown in their grief and loss. Tonight, we also mourn the sudden passing of our friend and patriot, Senator Inouye of Hawaii. Senator Inouye loved his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Irene, Ken, Jessica, and little Maggie. Our sympathies also to his hardworking staff. Senator Inouye loved Hawaii, and his work on behalf of Hawaii is legendary. There is no one person who did more to ensure Hawaii's future than Senator Inouye. He loved his country and received the Medal of Honor in her service. Senator Inouye never forgot where he came from. And I'm proud to say that I represented his dear mother, Kame Inouye, in 1980 when I first ran for the State legislature. I'm proud to count Senator Inouye as my friend since that time. We can best honor Senator Inouye's legacy by continuing to be strong for Hawaii and our country.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution commemorating the remarkable life of service of Mother Marianne Cope of Molokai, and her canonization as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church on October 21, 2012. She joins Saint Damien of Molokai among the 12 American saints. I am joined in introducing this resolution by Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, who represents Syracuse, New York, where Mother Marianne's Order of the Sisters of Saint Francis is based; by Congressman Richard Hanna, who represents Utica, New York, where Mother Marianne grew up; and by Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, who represents Hawaii's First Congressional District. I am proud to represent Hawaii's Second Congressional District, which includes the island of Molokai. It may seem surprising that one-sixth of America's saints are connected to the tiny Kalaupapa Peninsula on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. The story of Kalaupapa is heartbreaking. We have all heard of how isolated native populations are especially susceptible to new diseases. Once Westerners and other peoples came to Hawaii, diseases like smallpox and measles caused high mortality. It was no different with leprosy. Native Hawaiians made up the majority of those afflicted with this disease. To stem the spread of leprosy, the Kingdom of Hawaii decided in 1866 to forcibly relocate persons found to have the disease to the Kalaupapa Peninsula. Those with the disease were outcasts in every sense of the word. Kalaupapa was chosen because it is surrounded by the ocean and some of the tallest sea cliffs in the world, effectively cutting off escape. Mothers, fathers, and children who contracted the disease were taken from their families and brought to Kalaupapa, where living conditions were terrible and medical care almost nonexistent. Father Damien, who ultimately contracted and died from the disease, is recognized throughout the world for all he did to improve conditions for the outcasts of Kalaupapa. Mother Marianne carried on and expanded on his work. This resolution honors Mother Marianne for her legacy of compassionate care and recognizes her example of what it truly means to dedicate one's life in service to others. One does not need to be Catholic to be humbled and inspired by the life of someone who devoted herself so selflessly to those whom almost everyone else shunned and rejected. Mother Marianne, born Barbara Koob, immigrated to this country from Germany as a young girl. She and her family settled in Utica, New York. At the age of 24, she entered the religious life as a Catholic nun and commenced a life dedicated to children, education, and the sick. Mother Marianne later focused her efforts on health care and was influential in establishing St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica. She was also the founder and administrator of St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, the city's first hospital. In 1883, Mother Marianne received a letter that would change her life. It was from Father Leonor Fouesnel, a missionary in Hawaii, who was desperately searching for volunteers to take charge of the hospitals that served people with Hansen's disease. More than 50 religious congregations had already declined, but Mother Marianne was different. She eagerly accepted the mission. She wrote back to Father Leonor: I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen ones. I am not afraid of any disease. Mother Marianne left for Hawaii, along with six sisters from Syracuse, in 1883, where she began a 30-year mission caring for those diagnosed with Hansen's disease. Mother Marianne accepted a government plea to start a new home for women and girls with Hansen's disease at the Kalaupapa settlement. Mother Marianne arrived in Kalaupapa just months before Father Damien's death. She oversaw the expansion of health services and programs to provide education and tend to the spiritual needs of the patients. Mother Marianne lived until the age of 80. On August 9, 1918, she died in Kalaupapa. She was deeply mourned and is still revered. I have visited her grave site, where I left ho-okupu, a traditional Hawaiian offering. I was deeply moved by the devotion of this woman from New York who left all that was familiar to live on an isolated peninsula 5,000 miles from home. Kalaupapa became her home and its people her family. Mother Marianne recognized the rights and inherent dignity of all people. She dedicated her life to caring for those who needed it the most. People of all faiths can admire her spirit of aloha--encompassing love, compassion, mercy, and grace--and malama--to care for others.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong solidarity with the people of Israel and in support of its right, as any sovereign nation, to defend its citizens against rocket attacks from Hamas, a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction. The rocket attacks launched from the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip earlier this month against civilian targets in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, continued a reign of terror that includes over 800 rocket attacks this year alone. Several years ago, I traveled to Israel. It was clear that the constant threat of violence was a harsh reality of everyday life. Israel's efforts to eliminate this threat to her people, stop these attacks by Hamas, and destroy stockpiles of missiles must be viewed in this context. We grieve for the innocent civilians--Israeli and Palestinian alike--who have lost their lives in this tragedy. We appeal to Hamas to honor the ceasefire it agreed to on November 21, 2012; adhere to its terms; and stop storing and using its weapons among a civilian population, putting their lives in grave danger. We also appeal for peace, and we hope those countries in the region that can help end the conflict will continue to work with us to do so. Our goal is a world where a Palestinian state and a Jewish state of Israel live side by side in peace and security. It can only happen when the Palestinian people enforce a peace that stops attacks on Israel, keeps their commitments, and acknowledges Israel's right to exist. America stands firmly behind our friend and ally Israel; Hamas must permanently end its aerial assault against Israeli civilians and its allies must cease supplying these weapons of terror.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 6156, the Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act of 2012, with some reservations. Russia became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in August of this year. If the United States is to benefit from the non- discriminatory treatment of goods and services required by Russia's membership in the WTO, we must grant permanent normal trade relations with Russia. The WTO provides a forum and process for requiring Russia to comply with its trade obligations. Russia is currently the United States' 20th largest trade partner. My concern is that Russia might not live up to its trade commitments and here enforcement is key. This bill does have provisions that will strengthen our ability to make sure Russia complies with its obligations and directs the U.S. Trade Representative to pay special attention to Russia's compliance. Congress also has a role; we must exercise robust oversight to ensure that Russia lives up to its obligations and that we use all the enforcement mechanisms available to us. I am also supporting and have cosponsored H.R. 6149, which would further strengthen requirements on the U.S. Trade Representative to monitor and pursue enforcement of Russian commitments under the WTO. I am also supporting this bill because it includes the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which strengthens the ability of the U.S. government to hold Russian nationals who have engaged in human rights violations accountable for their crimes.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6429, the misnamed STEM Jobs Act of 2012. The ability our nation to attract the world's best and brightest has contributed greatly to the creation of American jobs and the success of American businesses large and small. However, many foreign students who graduate from our best universities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields become victims of a broken visa system. The absence of specific visas for graduates in these critical fields has resulted in long wait times and forces many to move back home, taking their valuable skills out of the American economy. Clearly, the time has come for change. Unfortunately, H.R. 6429 isn't the change we need. It follows the pattern of the Republicans' approach of giving with one hand while taking with the other. This bill would create STEM visas at the expense of eliminating the Diversity Visa Program. Diversity visas provide a legal path for people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Half the recipients are from Africa and almost a third are from Asia. Democrats and Republicans agree that we should establish a STEM visa program, but unfortunately Republicans inserted a poison pill in this bill that guarantees it will not pass. It is also clear that the Senate will not take up the bill with this provision included. We in Hawaii know that diversity is a strength. Hawaii has been enriched by the diverse immigrants who call it home, hailing from places like the Philippines, Japan, Samoa, Portugal, and around the Pacific Rim. While I believe we should be looking for ways to encourage the best and brightest to come to our shores and create American jobs, we don't need to do it at the expense of the Diversity Visa Program. As an immigrant, I know the promise America offers and the hopes of those who come to our shores seeking a better life. That's why I support efforts to improve our immigration system and encourage those with needed skills to come and work for our businesses. Furthermore, a strong economic foundation depends on a world class American education system that prepares the young people of our country to compete in the STEM fields. I am convinced we can find a way to come together to create a fair STEM Visa Program and to strengthen our STEM education so more Americans can get these jobs. H.R. 6429 is a flawed bill, and I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, last week the House considered H.R. 4078, the Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act. Like the REINS Act and other similar legislation this chamber has considered--and I have opposed--the Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act (H.R. 4078) would prevent federal agencies from developing and implementing regulations that protect public health, consumers, and our environment. One of the majority's primary arguments for this bill is that regulations kill jobs by making it hard for businesses to do what they need to do to succeed. In the current economy, this sounds plausible. Unfortunately, the facts and data do not support this claim. Since 2007 the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has asked businesses that have laid off large numbers of workers what caused them to make such layoffs. According to the BLS's survey data government regulations contributed to only 0.2 percent of layoffs in 2009, 2010 and through the first half of 2011. Instead, the BLS found that the number one reason companies made mass layoffs was because of reduced demand for their products or services from consumers. Surveys conducted by the American Sustainable Business Council, the Main Street Alliance, and the Small Business Majority also found that lack of demand is the primary challenge facing businesses today--not regulations. One of the other arguments the majority has advanced to support their claim that regulations hurt the economy is that there will be ``unintended consequences.'' Again, this sounds plausible given the state of our economy. But again, this assertion does not hold up against the facts. Take, for example, the Clean Air Act and the regulations that resulted from the law. In 1990, Congress passed the Clean Air Act Amendments on a strong bipartisan basis. Despite concerns raised by industry over the cost of the rules mandated by the law, the decade following its enactment was a great time U.S. businesses. The economy created 21 million jobs, and we had the longest period of sustained economic growth in national history. In fact, since passage of the initial Clean Air Act over 40 years ago, our economy has grown by over 200 percent. At the same time, we have improved the nation's air quality and the health of the American people by reducing toxic and health threatening air pollutants by 60 percent. The estimated economic benefits from lower health care costs, less illness and premature death, and increased worker productivity of the Clean Air Act are expected to reach the $2 trillion mark in 2020. This exceeds the projected costs of implementing the regulations by more than 30 to 1. We can also look at the recent financial crisis as a cautionary tale of the ``unintended consequences'' of not having appropriate safeguards put in place. In 1994 Congress gave the Federal Reserve authority to regulate subprime and other high risk mortgages. It took them until 2008 to do anything with that authority. Unfortunately, 2008 was too late to prevent the housing bubble that popped and set off a financial crisis that cost American families $6.5 trillion in household wealth, millions of jobs, and required significant resources from the federal government to address. Even former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan admitted to the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee in 2008 that he'd been wrong about the housing bubble and should have done more. These stories illustrate the importance of responsible environmental and consumer protections to a strong economy, strong communities, and healthy families. Yet none of this information or experience seems to have had any impact on the majority. In fact, the bill today would likely delay regulations like the mercury and air toxics rule. According to estimates, each year that we delay implementing this rule means 17,000 premature deaths, 120,000 cases of asthma, 12,200 hospital and emergency room visits for respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and 850,000 days of missed work and school due to illness. In addition, every year approximately 1.2 million people get sick, 7,125 people are hospitalized, and 134 people die from foodborne illnesses attributed to contaminated produce. Enacting this bill would halt progress on implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act to reduce these contaminations and protect our families. The Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act would arbitrarily freeze all regulations until unemployment is below 6 percent, prevent regulations from being developed and implemented during presidential transitions, expose regulations to court challenges that will increase uncertainty, and make other changes to procedures for developing and implementing regulations. These changes would primarily accomplish one thing--undermining the government's ability to do its job efficiently and cost effectively. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that these changes would freeze routine updates to programs like payment rates for services to Medicare patients. This would have a negative impact on doctors and seniors. CBO also estimates that the legislation ``would have a significant effect on direct spending'' because laws could not be implemented properly--unnecessarily increasing the deficit. H.R. 4078 would also give regulated industries the ability to influence rules behind closed doors by requiring that agencies consult with private industry stakeholders before proposed rules are made available for public comment. The changes made under this bill would also allow regulations to be challenged and delayed, increasing uncertainty for businesses and the economy--which seems to run counter to the majority's primary argument for the bill in the first place. This bill also ignores the work that the Obama Administration has been engaged in to review current regulations in order to eliminate outdated, obsolete, and ineffective rules. The President placed a premium on getting feedback on this effort from the public--including the business community. As a result paperwork burdens, unnecessary or outdated rules, and barriers to exporting and other job creating activities have been or will be eliminated. These changes are projected to save taxpayers billions in the coming years. Now is not the time to put the brakes on this effort, which has been open, transparent and appropriately balances the need for responsible safeguards for consumers, the environment, and public health with the need for a strong and growing economy.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose H.R. 3803, yet another assault on women's personal decision making. In Hawaii, people tell me we should be talking about jobs and working together to get the economy moving. Instead, the House Republican Majority continues its assault on women. Debating divisive social issues isn't going to help our economy or create one single job. A woman's right to choose is a fundamental freedom--there is no place for politicians in individuals' private medical decisions. H.R. 3803 restricts access to abortions in the District of Columbia after 20 weeks, regardless of who pays for the procedure. The bill wouldn't even allow for abortion in the case of rape or incest, makes no exception for a woman's health, and would require a woman to carry a nonviable fetus to term. A woman shouldn't need to ask a politician for permission to make private medical decisions. H.R. 3803 would let politicians tell women what to do. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and get to work on the real issues people in Hawaii are most concerned about right now, creating jobs and moving our economy forward.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I oppose H.R. 6082, the Congressional Replacement of President Obama's Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan. This is the current Majority's 12th giveaway for Big Oil in the last 18 months. I've consistently opposed these prior 11 measures on the House floor. The Senate has failed to pass any of the prior bills, and President Obama has consistently stated his intention to veto those measures. The majority claims that this bill is about lowering energy prices and creating jobs. Let's be clear--this is a bill against President Obama's offshore drilling plan. Today, more than 75 percent of the offshore oil and gas resources are available for drilling under that plan. We have 50 percent more floating drilling rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico than we did prior to the BP spill and have more total rigs operating in the United States than does the rest of the world combined. Domestic oil production is at an 18 year high and oil and gas companies continue to enjoy substantial profits--all on top of tax breaks totaling over $4 billion per year. In addition, this year the U.S. became a net exporter of oil for the first time since 1949. My home state of Hawaii relies on imported oil from both foreign and U.S. sources for 90 percent of our primary energy. We use oil to generate our electricity and to fuel our vehicles. We also pay three times the average price that the mainland pays for that electricity and our gas prices are constantly the highest in the nation--despite all of the drilling that is currently happening. That's why this attack on President Obama's comprehensive approach to energy--producing more oil and boosting clean energy--is especially troubling. It's also troubling that the majority seem to be consciously ignoring key safety recommendations and preventing proper environmental reviews. We all remember April 20, 2010. That is the date that the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded. This accident killed 11 crew members and injured numerous others. Over 4 million barrels of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, and the spill could not be contained for almost 3 months. In response President Obama created the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. The commission concluded that if more effective oversight of safety and environmental protection had been conducted--by both the government and the industry itself--the disaster could have been avoided. The commission then made a series of recommendations to prevent another spill from occurring. Representative Markey introduced these recommendations as legislation in January of 2011. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of this bill, H.R. 501. However, I'm disappointed that there has not even been a committee hearing on this important legislation. That's not all. On July 24, 2012, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a report which found that at the time of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout, BP and other companies involved in that accident had failed to implement safety recommendations made by the Board in 2007. The 2007 recommendations stemmed from the investigation of a March 2005 explosion at BP's Texas City Refinery. These are real disasters with real consequences for workers and communities. At the same time, the facts and record are clear: These disasters are preventable and Congress can and should do something to address them. The bill also undermines a series of laws intended to ensure that we are good stewards of our natural resources--including the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and Clean Water Act. Ensuring compliance with these laws protects public health, communities, and the environment. These environmental reviews are also necessary to avoid costly and time- consuming litigation for all parties. More than that, this is a matter of ensuring that the resources we have can be utilized responsibly to support jobs and economic growth in industries other than drilling, like tourism for example. The bill also opens huge areas on the East Coast, stretching from Maine to South Carolina, off of Southern California, in the Alaska Arctic and in the area around the important fishery of Bristol Bay off Alaska. Opening these areas ignores concerns raised by nearly every stakeholder other than oil and gas companies. These include significant issues raised by states and local communities, concerns about important fishing areas, and even concerns raised by our military will go unheeded if this bill were to become law. Finally, H.R. 6082 would require that the Department of Interior conduct a single multi-sale Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Atlantic, Pacific and Bristol Bay. Combined EIS documents are usually done for lease sales in areas where the conditions are well known and similar. However, these are three wildly different environments that merit their own considerations. Just to be clear, those who stand to lose under this bill include: states, localities, fisherman, the military, average citizens and small businesses that currently rely on these areas for recreation, tourism, and other purposes. The winners under this bill: the oil and gas drilling industry. Hawaii is a case study for why we must end our reliance on fossil fuels and work harder to support the development of a broad range of clean, renewable, locally-produced fuels. Drilling more won't decrease the global competition for oil, and it won't do anything to reduce energy prices in the long-term. High energy prices act as a tax on all of us and an anchor on our economy, so if we are truly going to have the most competitive economy in the 21st century we need to develop affordable alternatives. Developing these alternatives will give the U.S. the upper hand both in terms of costs to our economy, and in developing new industries that can create jobs for the next century. Instead, the bill before us keeps us on the same path of dependence we've been on. This bill is a failure for our economy in the long term, fails to address the safety reforms for offshore drilling that numerous experts have advocated for, and seeks to give oil companies another windfall without ensuring that they are paying their fair share to drill on public lands. I urge my colleagues to oppose this terribly shortsighted and ill- advised legislation.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I believe that transparency in the activities of government is extremely important and that we should endeavor to let in more sunlight, not less. Therefore, I am proud to support H.R. 459, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 cost nearly $6.5 trillion in household wealth. That's home equity and savings for retirement and college that millions of people will likely never get back. Between December 2007 and early 2010 8.7 million jobs were lost--Including a record-breaking 779,000 in January of 2009 alone. I raise these frightening numbers to illustrate a point--the impact of the financial crisis was disastrous, widespread, and occurred very quickly. As a result, unprecedented steps were taken to halt the disastrous decline in our economy. These included the Federal Reserve (the Fed) stretching its emergency lending authority farther than it ever had to before. This, along with the legislative actions of Congress and the efforts of the Bush and Obama Administrations, helped to prevent the ``Great Recession'' from instead becoming ``The Great Depression Redux.'' The Obama Administration and Congress have worked to rebuild our economy. Over 4.4 million jobs have been created over the past 28 consecutive months. The American automobile industry has been saved and is prospering. Communities across the nation benefitted from investments in transportation, energy, and other vital areas from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Fed has also contributed to this effort by keeping interest rates low and other measures. But progress has not been fast enough. We are all frustrated by the current state of affairs. We are also rightly frustrated at the conduct of banks and bankers--private sector bankers and central bankers alike. I recognize that the actions of the Fed are subject to Congressional oversight and audits by the Government Accountability Office. I was proud to support the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which included needed reforms of the Fed's emergency lending authority, and required that the Government Accountability Office conduct an audit of the Fed's emergency lending programs. These are much needed steps. While I don't share the view that we should abolish the Fed, or that the Fed's activities are necessarily malicious, I do believe that the American people have a right to know how decisions about interest rates and other policies that impact their day-to-day lives are made. The recent revelations that major international banks colluded to set the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is an influential global interest rate, indicate that it is in the public interest to more closely scrutinize the activities of both financial market players as well as those that are supposed to be the unbiased referees like the Fed. Today's bill is a positive step toward doing that and I am proud to support H.R. 459.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, today I commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Leadership Alliance. The Leadership Alliance, established in 1992, is a national academic consortium of leading research universities and minority serving institutions with the mission to develop underrepresented students into outstanding leaders and role models in academia, business, and the public sector. Through an organized program of research, networking and mentorship at various critical transitions alont the entire academic training pathway, the Leadership Alliance prepares young scientists and scholars from underrepresented and underserved populations for graduate training and professional apprenticeships. Leadership Alliance faculty mentors provide high quality, cutting-edge research experiences in all academic disciplines at the nation's most competitive graduate training institutions and share insights into the nature of academic careers. Chaminade University, located in Honolulu, Oahu, has been a member institution of the Leadership Alliance since 2007. In the past five years, 16 students have participated in the Summer Research Early Identification Program--performing research at Brown, Harvard, Tufts, Yale, and other universities. Nearly 70 percent of Leadership Alliance early identification students enroll into a graduate level program and, of that 70 percent, 25 percent enroll into PhD programs. Chaminade students have had transformative summer research experiences, encouraging their pursuit of graduate degrees, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). One Chaminade student, Natasha Flores, was able to do research at Yale University. Since graduating, she has conducted cancer research at the National Cancer Institute and has just completed her second year in a Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program at Stanford University. Joseph Tillotson, a 2011 Chaminade graduate, completed two summers of research through the Leadership Alliance and will be beginning Ph.D. studies in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arizona this fall. Leadership Alliance Doctoral Scholars are diversifying the academy at research-intensive institutions and are engaging in career positions in government and industry. Congratulations to the Leadership Alliance on two decades of committed service to supporting a diverse and competitive research and scholarly workforce in the United States.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I support passage of H.R. 5856, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which supports our servicemembers and makes important investments in our national security and in the health, well-being, and readiness of our Armed Forces. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to our military and their families for their service and selfless sacrifices. We in Hawaii are proud of the men and women in our military that have served and are currently serving in Afghanistan. Above all, we must also never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Supporting our servicemembers and their families, whether it's during deployment or as they transition back into civilian life, is a solemn commitment we must keep. Many of our men and women in uniform are suffering from serious wounds from their service, both visible and invisible. That's why I'm pleased to see increases in traumatic brain injury and psychological health funding as well as suicide prevention and outreach. The bill also boosts resources for peer-reviewed research on Gulf War Illness, Lou Gehrig's disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, vision and spinal cord conditions, and many other medical research initiatives. This legislation will further protect access to health coverage for Hawaii's military retirees, who have dedicated their careers in service to our country. Through the adoption of an amendment offered by Representative Stearns, no funds could be used to implement a fee to enroll in TRICARE for Life. Hawaii has a strong military presence and is home to thousands of military families. As a strong advocate for Impact Aid, I welcome the increased amount of this funding, which helps ensure the federal government does its part to support our nation's local school districts and military families and educate military-connected children. By providing support for the operation, maintenance and procurement for our military's installations in Hawaii, including Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks, and Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, H.R. 5856 protects jobs and advances President Obama's strategic refocusing on the Asia-Pacific region. The measure also affirms the critical role of our citizen soldiers and airmen in the defense of our nation in providing for critical Army equipment needs and rejecting force structure reductions and aircraft retirements proposals that would have negatively affected Air Guard and Reserve units across the country. With turmoil continuing in the Middle East, now more than ever we must stand strong with our friend and ally Israel. This measure includes additional funding for joint U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation, and continued support for Iron Dome system, which has protected and saved lives from the daily threat of rockets aimed at towns and cities in a country surrounded by hostility and instability. While H.R. 5856 supports our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in Hawaii and around the world, this defense appropriations bill contains provisions that raise serious concerns. For example, this bill slows down the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan; it is over the President's budget request and over the Budget Control Act passed last year. H.R. 5856 excludes funds requested by the President for the production of domestic biofuel for our military, an important initiative our military leadership supports. Furthermore, the bill places a significant amount of our nation's resources in certain weapons systems the Defense Department neither requested nor needed. It is my hope that Senate will address these serious issues and that we can pass a final bill that is fiscally responsible, reaffirms the American people's commitment to our servicemembers and protects our national security.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I intended to vote ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 465, the amendment offered by my friend Congressman Young of Alaska. Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Grijalva

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 464, the Markey amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Young of Alaska