Janice Hahn

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Madam Speaker, Californians drive a lot, so when gas prices jump, we feel it first and the most. Back home, gas has jumped 26 cents in the last week and 57 cents since this time last year. We are paying on the average $4.30 a gallon. Our constituents need our help. They also understand the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I happen to drive a Nissan Leaf, an all-electric vehicle, which will be built right here in America in Tennessee in the near future. This gives me the benefit of driving past gas stations, but I don't have to fill up my tank to be shocked by the prices at the pump. And if given the opportunity, I think most Americans would jump at the chance to join me in driving right past those high gas prices and stop sending hundreds of billions of dollars to the Middle East. ``Drill, baby, drill'' won't lower gas prices today or tomorrow, but it will feed our addiction to dirty fossil fuels which are quickly running out. Let's work together to invest in infrastructure for electric vehicles to make them more affordable and convenient. We will create jobs, take hold of the economy of the future, and end our dependence on oil.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to applaud the swearing in of my hometown's newest Los Angeles City Councilmember--Joe Buscaino. A native son of San Pedro and a first-generation Italian-American, Councilman Buscaino learned at an early age the importance of hard work, family, community and service. His dedication to these values led him to the Los Angeles Police Department, where he protected and served the community he loves so well for almost 15 years. There he created the LAPD's first Teen Community Police Advisory board, a program breaking down barriers between teens and the police by bringing youth's perspectives on problem solving to the police department. The program has since been expanded to the whole city--and I am confident this will not be the last innovative initiative he has to share with the City of Angels. Now Councilman Buscaino's commitment to public service has led him to the chambers of the Los Angeles City Council, where I know he will serve the people of my home Council District 15 and the city of Los Angeles with honor and distinction. We are fortunate to have such an advocate.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Madam Speaker, I've come to this floor practically every week for the past few months asking my friends on both sides of the aisle to work together to extend the payroll tax cut and the unemployment benefits for a full year. As we convene this today, it looks like we may have a deal. To be sure that we follow through, let's remind ourselves what this would mean for Americans: Working families would see more than $80 a month in their pockets-- almost $1,000 for the year. It's always good for people to be able to keep more of their money in their own pockets; And 2.8 million Americans and nearly 500,000 Californians, where I come from, would be able to keep their unemployment benefits, their lifeline during these tough times; And the doc fix would allow seniors on Medicare to continue to see their own doctors. I know the ink isn't dry, but I believe this is the type of compromise and governing that our constituents and all of America wants to see us do here in Congress. I want to encourage the leadership on both sides of the aisle to get this deal done, move forward, and create jobs in this great country.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of Ryan Rossi, an inspiring young man from my district who died too soon this past December. A star soccer forward at his alma mater of Cal State Northridge, a talented singer songwriter, and a dedicated humanitarian, Ryan made the world a brighter place for his having been in it. And while non- Hodgkin's lymphoma extinguished his life at the age of 27, it could not dim the love and generosity that suffused it. After a trip to El Salvador, meeting impoverished children with ragged breathing caused by the toxic fumes of the kerosene lamps that lit their homes, Ryan helped start a charity to replace the noxious lamps with clean, safe and affordable solar lamps. Before his death, Ryan asked that he be remembered not with a funeral, but with a celebration. And well we should celebrate, for today I know Ryan's light lives on--not only in the hearts of those who knew him, but in the homes of thousands who never will.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, the lessons of 9/11 have taught us that we must continuously be vigilant in proactively seeking out and preventing our country's most pressing threats. That is why after 9/11, Congress began to shine a spotlight on previously ignored issues such as border security, airport security and strengthening identification procedures. However, an area that continues to be ignored is port security. In the U.S., tens of thousands of ships each year make over 50,000 calls on U.S. ports. These ships carry the bulk of the approximately two billion tons of freight, three billion tons of oil transports, and 134 million passengers by ferry each year. The volume of traffic gives terrorists opportunities to smuggle themselves or their weapons into the United States with little risk of detection. According to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations, in May 2002 there were reports that twenty-five Islamist extremists entered the United States by hiding in shipping containers. This highlights the need for an immediate legislative solution to counter this problem. However, it is difficult to come up with an effective solution without first knowing all of the potential dangers. That is why I am introducing the Gauging American Port Security (GAPS) Act. The GAPS Act addresses these problems by requiring that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report to Congress on the current weaknesses and vulnerabilities of U.S. ports and ensures that DHS develops a comprehensive plan for addressing them. Only by focusing on the specific dangers that threaten our port security, can we develop effective solutions to ensure our nation is prepared for any and all types of attacks.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Madam Speaker, the deadline, again, to pass an extension of unemployment benefits is fast approaching. Last week, the numbers came out that our economy is on the mend, but we do still have a long way to go. Unemployment benefits put money into the economy and serve as a lifeline for the millions of Americans who, through no fault of their own, have lost their job and cannot find work. These are benefits, by the way, that have been earned through years of hard work. They aren't giveaways. If my friends on the other side of the aisle don't extend these benefits, 2.8 million Americans--including 491,000 Californians--will lose their lifeline, throwing their families into further despair and hampering our economic recovery. We can't let this happen. Let's work together and pass these extensions of unemployment benefits for one full year.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, during Black History Month, I rise today to honor Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson, Jr., who has built a ground breaking career of public service at the city, county, and state levels of government in the State of California. Mr. Wesson made a significant contribution to contemporary Black History when he served as Chief of Staff in the office of Los Angeles County 2nd District Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first--and only--African American female ever elected to the LA County Board of Supervisors. His first elected office came in 1998, when he was elected to the California State Assembly and was re-elected in 2000 and 2002. His colleagues in the California State Assembly--by a unanimous vote-- elected Mr. Wesson the second African American in the 162-year history of the State of California to serve as Speaker of the California State Assembly. After he left the Assembly, he was elected to represent the 10th Council District in the City of Los Angeles in 2005, capturing over 80 percent of the vote. His City Council colleagues called him ``a consummate bridge builder.'' Last year, he was elected by his City Council colleagues--once again unanimously--to serve as President of the Los Angeles City Council, becoming the first African American to do so since Los Angeles was incorporated in 1850. On January 3, 2012, City Council President Wesson took office and presided over his inaugural meeting of the city council. My friend and former colleague, Herb, personifies the storied and triumphant history of the African American community not just in Los Angeles, but around our great Nation.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to explain my excused absence from the House last week, and to discuss how I would have voted on H.R. 658, conference report for the ``FAA Modernization and Reform Act,'' if I hadn't been pulled away by the funeral of my dear friend, Frank Herrera. Frank was a World War II veteran, a titan in his community of Wilmington, and a good friend of mine. He will be sorely missed by his family and all who knew him. While I was at his funeral, the House took action on the first long term FAA reauthorization since the last one expired in 2007. After the embarrassment of twenty-three short-term extensions, I was glad to see our Nation's aviation infrastructure finally given the certainty of long term funding. Finally, we will bring our aviation infrastructure into the 21st century with NextGen, and give long overdue certainty to modernization projects across the country. However, I was appalled to see that this ``compromise'' was bought with the rights of hard working men and women. I agree with the Communications Workers of America, the Service Employees International Union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the National Education Association, the Teamsters and other advocates of working people that the American people deserved a clean FAA reauthorization, not this attempt to interfere with a worker's right to chose to form a union. Had I been here on Friday, I would have voted ``on'' on H.R. 658.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, for my constituents and I, the work here in Congress is about making laws that make lives better. Last week, our President came to this Chamber and laid out a blueprint to build an America that lasts. That blueprint focuses on manufacturing, education, worker training, clean energy, and ensuring that every American plays by the same set of rules and pays their fair share. By building from the ground up, by focusing on working people, we can build an economy that lasts. My friends on the other side offer a different path. It's a top-down approach with big tax breaks for the wealthy and subsidies for Big Oil at the expense of new technology and innovators. But we know what happens when you use all of your resources and materials at the top of the building. It topples over.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. I move to strike the last word.

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 1173, the Republican legislation to repeal the CLASS program. CLASS was designed to be the first Federal voluntary long-term care program, making long-term care more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans. The idea behind the CLASS program is to provide Americans, especially our seniors, with peace of mind if they suffer from an unexpected long-term illness or injury. We have a long-term care crisis in this country. According to Secretary Sebelius, ``an estimated 15 million Americans will need some kind of long-term care, and fewer than 3 percent have a long-term care policy.'' Because Medicare and other existing programs do not cover these services, we must work together to find a solution. As my Republican friends know, however, the CLASS program as enacted will not be implemented. Secretary Sebelius informed Congress last October that she did not ``see a viable path forward for CLASS implementation at this time.'' In other words, this legislation we are debating today is not needed. Instead of legislation to create jobs and grow our economy, our Republican friends are focused on repealing a program that has already been suspended. I want to encourage my friends on the other side of the aisle to take a step back and focus on the things we could be doing together to make long-term care more affordable and accessible. I have encountered in my own life the issue of providing long-term care. My dear, sweet mother, before she passed away last summer, received long-term care services for years, and I will always remember the warmth and affection her caregivers showed her and my family day in and day out. What we should be doing today is ensuring that the hardworking men and women who provide care for our seniors in their own homes earn a living wage, because these jobs are the jobs that make a difference and that bring happiness to those who need their help the most. With robust job growth predicted in the health care sector over the next decade, it is imperative that we support long-term care services and those who provide those services. This is a win-win for the American economy. Not only do long-term care services provide jobs, but we know, if our seniors can be taken care of in their own homes, it can save Americans money in the long run. I fear, however, that this legislation is meant as a step towards dismantling the health care reform law that Congress passed and that the President signed, a law that will help millions of Americans obtain better and more affordable health care coverage over the next decade. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Americans now have access to free preventative care services. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, small businesses can receive tax credits to provide their employees with health coverage. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, children can stay on their parents' insurance until they're 26. We just hope they don't move back home. To my colleagues on the other side, let's not work to strip these provisions, putting power back in the hands of for-profit insurance companies. We do not need this legislation. Instead of repealing a program that is not moving forward, why don't we work on replacing it with a better long-term care program. The Affordable Care Act is not a perfect law. That's why we should be working together to fix the problems, not just to repeal them. Those problems will remain even if we repeal this part of the law. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to stop this needless debate and legislation and get to work on the real issues at hand.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, one of the unfortunate, oft-neglected effects of the financial crisis has been chronically high teen unemployment. This past summer, the unemployment rate for teenagers in California reached an astonishing 35 percent, which is well above the high rate for all Californians. For many teens, summer is a time to find their first jobs and learn their first lessons about making and managing money. Those experiences, however, are becoming less common as high school students find it harder to obtain summer employment. As study after study has shown, high rates of unemployment and stagnant wages have been linked with higher crime rates. Alleviating youth unemployment, therefore, isn't just about giving kids something to do over the summer, it's about giving them skills they can use the rest of their lives. That is why I have introduced the ``Port Opportunity, Reinvestment and Training (PORT) Act.'' This legislation authorizes the creation of a grant program at ports throughout the country to hire eligible high school students over the summer. This is a win-win for the American economy. Our nation's ports have long been engines of economic growth, and so there is no better place for students to learn the skills they need to compete in today's workforce. These grants are an investment in the communities that need them most. Not only will these grants put money in the pockets of high school students facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, but they will rejuvenate regions that have been devastated by the financial crisis. I urge my colleagues to support this crucial investment in our students, our communities, and our economy.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, as every American knows already, we have a jobs crisis in this country. While unemployment has improved within the past year, at 8.5 percent it is still strangling our economy. Over 40 percent of jobless Americans--who lost their jobs through no fault of their own--have been out of work for six months or longer, and the longer they wait, they harder it is for them to find jobs. The fact of the matter is that we will not see robust economic growth again until we put Americans back to work. We also have an infrastructure crisis. According to Transportation for America, there are 69,223 bridges that have been classified as ``structurally deficient'' by the Federal Highway Administration. Leaving these bridges in their current state of disrepair poses a grave threat not only to our safety, but also to our economy. As the President noted just a few months ago, ``Our aging transportation infrastructure costs American businesses and families about $130 billion a year . . . And if we don't act now, it could cost America hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs by the end of the decade.'' Additionally, studies have shown that our crumbling infrastructure threatens our competitive edge in the world economy. As the Washington Post reported this past summer, if nothing is done to improve our infrastructure, ``U.S. businesses would pay an added $430 billion in transportation costs, household incomes would fall by more than $7,000, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion.'' Mr. Speaker, we can't afford to wait until the end of the decade; we need action now. Alleviating both of these crises is not a mutually exclusive endeavor. That's why I've introduced the ``Bridge to Jobs Act,'' a much-needed ``win-win'' for the American economy and public safety. The act provides states with grants to put Americans back to work by repairing crumbling bridges. Not only will this legislation put Americans back to work and bolster our ailing economy, it will also ensure the safety of the millions who use these bridges each and every day. I urge my colleagues to support this crucial investment in our workforce, our economy, and our safety.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, during my short time in Congress, I've met with over 50 small businesses in my district to listen to their concerns. Over and over they tell me that their biggest obstacle in working with the Small Business Administration is the arduous amounts of paperwork needed to access SBA loans. If we are going to get our economy back on track, we need to make sure our small business owners and entrepreneurs have access to capital. That is why I am introducing the SBA Loan Paperwork Reduction Act, which will make permanent the SBA's pilot Small Loan Advantage Program which features streamlined paperwork, with a two-page application for borrowers and a faster approval time. Small business owners are having a hard enough time in this economy without having to spend their valuable time and resources wading through a mountain of paperwork. By passing this bill, we will ensure that our entrepreneurs are given the chance to succeed and our small business owners can access the capital they need to grow and hire more workers.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, it's 2012; and this is the year we need to create jobs and get our economy moving again. Without a growing economy, our budget deficit will only get worse. It's time that we boldly invest in America. My friends on the Democratic side want to invest in education and infrastructure, creating jobs now and building our future. My Republican friends, on the other hand, want to cut spending on Social Security and Medicare. The Democrats want the wealthiest of Americans to pay their fair share, and my friends on the Republican side oppose even asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. We need to make the right choices this year. Let's invest in America.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 306 that the House passed earlier this week. Wherever we see repression, wherever we see atrocities being swept under the rug, we have a moral duty to speak out. Members of NATO are no exception. Today in Turkey, beautiful and historic Armenian churches, monuments and monasteries lie in ruins--broken not by the sands of time, but by desecration, theft and dynamite. For too long, the U.S. has allowed Turkey to elude responsibility for the destruction of Armenian churches. With this resolution, Congress sends a stern message to Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Erdogan--the United States will not tolerate Turkish assaults on Armenian heritage and religious freedom. The passage of House Resolution 306 earlier this week was an important step towards justice for the Armenian people, but our work is unfinished. Until the U.S. and Turkey officially recognize the Armenian Genocide for what it was, I will continue to fight to correct the staggering injustice of soft-peddling the murder of 1.5 million men, women and children.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. I thank my colleague from Florida for giving me this time. I want to encourage my friends and colleagues on both sides to defeat the previous question so that we can work together to pass a clean extension of unemployment benefits and the payroll tax cut. You know, yesterday the House Chaplain began the day with a reminder that the holidays are a time of hope. And it is in that spirit of hope that Congress should embrace and put aside some of the politics that have darkened our recent discussions. Last night my Republican friends passed legislation that, however well intended, has no chance of passing in the Senate. It did not receive my vote because, like many of my fellow Democrats in the House and the Senate, I don't believe that we should be debating controversial issues as part of those extensions. If you believe that building a pipeline through the United States is a good idea, let's have that debate. If you believe that the EPA shouldn't regulate emissions from certain industries and machines, let's have that debate. However, those issues cloud the need for extending unemployment benefits to those who can't find work. And it clouds the benefits for American families that would get an extension of the payroll tax cuts. I want to work with my Republican friends to get this done. I know I'm new around here, but I think that means putting aside these other issues to debate them on their own merits. Let's work together in a spirit of hope, vote against the previous question, and let's come back to the table and do what needs to be done.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, we're running out of time. Just in California, where I come from, 356,000 Californians are at risk of losing critical unemployment benefits because this Congress has failed to act. These aren't just 356,000 strangers; these are our friends, these are our neighbors, these are our families. These are proud Americans who through no fault of their own have lost their jobs. They want to work, but because this Congress has failed to act, jobs are hard to find. And instead of just voting on extending these unemployment benefits, my Republican friends have asked us to approve other unrelated controversial items in this bill. What I'm saying to my Republican friends is, can't we just vote on the unemployment benefits by themselves? Can't we debate the oil pipeline later? Do we have to gut clean air laws to extend benefits? Let's vote on this on its own and give Americans some hope.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I came down here on the floor, and I asked my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work with us to move forward on a new middle class payroll tax cut, a tax cut that would put more money in families' pockets, creating more demand for our businesses, and resulting in more jobs. But time and time again yesterday, even this morning we heard my friends on the other side of the aisle say the only obstacle to creating more jobs is regulations. Unfortunately, the evidence does not support this. Last Saturday, November 26, was Small Business Saturday. I did my part by shopping all day in small businesses, and I talked to my small businesses, and I asked them what did they need from the Federal Government to help them in their businesses. And they told me, ``We need customers. That's what will help our businesses. We need customers who have a little more money in their pockets this year to spend in our businesses.'' It's not rocket science. And you know what? We don't have much time to wait. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that taxes will go up January 1. Let's work together to pass a new middle class payroll tax cut to put more money in the hands of Americans.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I just don't think Americans can wait, but here we are again today debating legislation that will do nothing to create jobs or to help families during these tough economic times. I agree with my colleague from New Jersey that we think that there just needs to be a vote on the House floor on this payroll tax cut, which, so far, my friends on the other side are not agreeing to. There were 120 million American families that had $1,000 more in their pockets this past year because of the payroll tax holiday that we passed. I believe we need to pass a new middle class tax cut, one that will save the typical family $1,500. Now, I do agree with my friend from Georgia about job creators. I love job creators, but I think I have a different point of view on what helps our job creators and what helps our small businesses. I spent Saturday, November 26, Small Business Saturday, shopping in small businesses. I went into every one of them, and I talked to them about what would help them: What can we do in Congress to help you as a small business? Almost every single one of them said, Do you know what we need? We need customers. We need Americans to have jobs, and we need them to have money in their pockets that they will spend in our small businesses. That will help us. I guarantee, if we were to get more customers, we would expand and we would hire more people.

Ms. HAHN. We know that it's our small businesses that have hired almost 60 percent of the new jobs that we've had in this country. We know that $1,500 would go back into the economy, and we know that that $1,500, through this middle class tax cut, would help businesses in this country. I know we've been called the do-nothing Congress; but in this instance, if we do nothing, Americans who can least afford it will see a tax increase come right after the holidays. I dare say, Americans who will see that kind of a tax increase in January might worry about how they're spending their money this December, and it may just affect their generosity, not only to their own families, but to those who are in need in this country.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, each day, U.S. ports move both imports and exports totaling some $3.8 billion worth of goods through all 50 States. Additionally, ports move 99.4 percent of overseas cargo volume by weight and generate $3.95 trillion in international trade. Given the importance of ports to our national economy, they must remain competitive and secure. Thus, we must remain vigilant and make sure we are giving States the resources necessary, so they can address the constant security threats that continue to loom at our Nation's ports. Whether its scanning foreign cargo for nuclear material or patrolling essential waterways, port security has become increasingly important as we expand into a 21st century global economy. However, funding for these efforts continue to be a challenge as maritime security continue to expand and broaden with ever-evolving threats. Additionally, the economic downturn has forced cash-strapped States to cut funding for these vital security initiatives. That is why I am introducing the Port Security Grant Act, which will extend the Port Security Grant Program through 2015. The Port Security Grant Program addresses these problems by allowing States to receive the Federal funding they need in order to secure their vital ports of entry. The program provides up to $400 million for states to train personnel, expand port recovery and resiliency capabilities, and increase their capacity to detect, respond to, and recover from attacks involving explosive devices. However, Congress has failed to extend this vital program beyond 2015. By not extending this program, we risk compromising the critical progress that has been made in port security and increasing the overall risk. By passing this bill, we will ensure that States continue to receive the funding they need in order to protect our Nation's gateways to the rest of the world.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the memory of Guy Crowder, who passed away on October 30, 2011 at the age of 72 surrounded by his mother, his wife and his son. Guy Crowder was a giant in the Los Angeles community--a great photographer, businessman, and mentor to many aspiring black photographers whom he hired at his studio, ``Guy's Photography.'' Guy's work is not only cherished by a grateful Nation, but by my family in particular. In addition to his greater-known works, Guy captured moments of deep personal significance to me. I will forever treasure the photos of my father, L.A. County Supervisor Kenny Hahn. His photographs chronicled my father's career and I will forever be grateful his beautiful work. Even after his health began failing and he was confined to a wheelchair, he made it a point to come pay his respects at my mother's funeral. Born Aug. 9, 1939 in Beaumont, Texas, Guy R. Crowder moved with his parents--Guy Rufus Crowder and Ruby (Crowder) Jones--to Los Angeles in 1945. He attended Charton-Pollard Elementary, Enterprise Junior High and Centennial High schools. He graduated from Harbor College and completed photography courses at Trade-Technical College. Beginning in the 1960s, Guy was present to record the trials and triumphs of black Angelenos for close to five decades. Taking pictures for the Los Angeles Sentinel, the various Wave newspapers, and Johnson Publications' Jet and Ebony magazines, he was there to capture the glory days of Muhammad Ali and the 1965 riots in Watts. Despite being shunned by the mainstream periodicals of the time, he won virtually every award and honor available to a photojournalist. Guy Crowder's work will forever be part of the American memory. I extend my deepest condolences to his loving 93-year-old mother; his wife, Patricia, to whom he was married for 51 years; a son, Reginald, and four grandchildren: Reanna, Renise, Ryan and Reggina.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I'm concerned that education, the most powerful tool we have to build our economy, is being ignored. Yesterday was my granddaughter Brooklyn's 7th birthday. A few months ago, Brooklyn's parents asked her if she could have her birthday anywhere she wanted to, where would it be. To her parents' surprise, she said she wanted to celebrate right here in the Capitol. So last night, we celebrated Brooklyn's birthday right here in the Capitol Building. I like to think she chose the Capitol because it represents the opportunity each of us has to make people's lives better. Unfortunately, we are failing to uphold the obligation we have to Brooklyn and millions of American children. Senate Republicans have blocked just a vote on the President's American Jobs Act. It would have provided $60 billion to save the jobs of teachers, put Americans to work rebuilding schools, and helped community colleges. Nearly 300,000 teachers have already lost their jobs since 2008. Another 280,000 more may be out of the classroom if we don't do something now. Now is not the time to be laying off teachers. It's not the time to surrender the leadership in math and science to foreign countries. Mr. Speaker, Americans can't wait. We should put people to work rebuilding our crumbling schools. We should be working to transform the prestige of teachers in our culture. Teaching requires high skill and should be rewarded with high pay and be the preferred profession of the best and the brightest. Brooklyn deserves it and all American children deserve it.

Ms. HAHN

Ms. HAHN. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this bill because Americans need us to focus on jobs right now, not this extreme bill that endangers the lives of women.