Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 51st anniversary of the ``Food Stamp Act'' of 1964, an act that strengthened the agricultural economy and improved levels of nutrition among low income households. This impactful legislative achievement was passed by the historic 88th Congress of the United States, and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 31, 1964. During the 1960's our nation was in the midst of the biggest legislative civil rights battle since the ratification of the 14th amendment of the Constitution, which addressed citizenship rights and equal protection under the law. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to imagine that during a time where the country was experiencing its largest uninterrupted period of economic expansion, American families were battling a war on poverty. Leaders like President Johnson, who himself grew up in a poverty stricken family in Stonewall, Texas, had a firsthand account of these struggles that many American families faced on a daily basis. President Johnson took action and pursued an agenda, which he called ``The Great Society.'' The ``Food Stamp Act'' is a legislative victory for his agenda that benefits those Americans who are living below the poverty line, by providing a sustainable source of food. The impact of this legislation was simple; it helped put food on tables. In my city of Houston, Texas, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has helped establish nine major Food Banks that serve the city and its citizens with providing the much needed access to nutrition for families and individuals who otherwise would be unable to afford it without programs created by the ``Food Stamp Act.'' As President Johnson remarked when he signed this act that it, ``weds the best of the humanitarian instincts of the American people with the best of the free enterprise system.'' The most important benefactors of this program have been the children of this nation. The ``Food Stamp Act'' at the time when it was signed into law assisted 17 million children by giving them access to hot lunches in their schools. For many of these children this was the first time they had a lunch while at school. Mr. Speaker, hunger in our nation does not see color or sex or religion. This is a problem that affects us all no matter our background. While simultaneously strengthening our markets for the farmers, the ``Food Stamp Act'' has immeasurably improved the volume of retail food sales in our nation and around the world. Our national food abundance should be continuously used constructively not only to combat hunger in our communities but also to help other nations through trade as well as to assist them in providing lunches for some 40 million school children throughout the developing world. Mr. Speaker, this is why I am proud to remember the positive impact that the ``Food Stamp Act'' has had on our communities, and nation as a whole, along with the millions of lives it has improved over the decades.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, from Friday, July 24, 2015 through Tuesday, July 28, 2015, I was out of the country participating in the congressional delegation accompanying President Obama on his diplomatic visits to Kenya and Ethiopia. Had I been present I would have voted as follows: On Roll Call 467 I would have voted Aye (S. 1482, Need-Based Education Aid Act of 2015). On Roll Call 468 I would have voted Aye (H.R. 1656, Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015). On Roll Call 469 I would have voted Aye (Amendment to H.R. 2770, Keep Our Travelers Safe and Secure Act of 2015). On Roll Call 470 I would have voted No (On Ordering Previous Question for H. Res. 380, providing for consideration of H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 471 I would have voted No (On H. Res. 380, providing for consideration of H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 472 I would have voted Aye (H.R. 675, Veterans Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act of 2015). On Roll Call 473 I would have voted No (Young Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 474 I would have voted No (Smith of Missouri Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 475 I would have voted Aye (Johnson of Georgia Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 476 I would have voted Aye (Capps Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 477 I would have voted Aye (Cicilline Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 478 I would have voted Aye (Jackson Lee/Cicilline Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call 479 I would have voted Aye (Nadler Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call No. 480 I would have voted Aye (Pocan Amendment to H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call No. 481 I would have voted Aye (Motion to Recommit H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015). On Roll Call No. 482 I would have voted No (On Passage of H.R. 427, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015).

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 1 minute and revise and extend my remarks. Today I introduced legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States whose vision and leadership secured passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Social Security Amendments Act (Medicare) of 1965, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965. The awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal is long overdue recognition of the remarkable record of achievement in the field of domestic affairs of the person most responsible for several of the nation's landmark laws that mark their 50th anniversary this year. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress from the Tenth Congressional District of Texas, as Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, Vice- President and President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson's domestic accomplishments in the fields of civil rights, education, and economic opportunity rank among the greatest achievements of the past half century. As President, Lyndon Johnson proposed, championed, led to passage, and signed into law on August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which swept away barriers impeding millions of Americans from meaningful participation in American political life. On July 30, 1965, President Johnson signed into law the Social Security Amendments Act of 1965, which we today know as Medicare, which has transformed the delivery of health care in the United States and which, along with Social Security, reduced the rate of poverty among the elderly from 28.5 percent in 1966 to 9.1 percent in 2012. On July 2, 1964 President Johnson secured passage and signed into law the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment, education, and public accommodations based on race, color, religion, or national origin. On November 8, 1965, President Johnson signed into law the Higher Education Act, which provided need-based financial aid to students in the form of scholarships, work-study grants, and loans, and thus for the first time made higher education more accessible to populations of persons who were previously unable to attend college because of economic circumstances. On October 3, 1965, President Johnson signed into law the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, which transformed the nation's immigration system by abolishing the racially based quota system that had defined American immigration policy for the previous four decades and replaced it with a policy whose central purpose was family reunification, with a preference for immigrants with specific skillsets. According to Robert A. Caro, the preeminent biographer of Lyndon Baines Johnson, with the single exception of Abraham Lincoln, Lyndon Johnson was the greatest champion of the poor and underprivileged in the history of the Republic and was the President ``who wrote mercy and justice into the statute books by which America was governed.'' I invite all Members to join me in sponsoring this legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal and recognizing the extraordinary domestic achievements of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great privilege, first of all, to speak about the first item of interest to America and to many of us as certainly when the President represents the United States of America overseas. I had the privilege of traveling with the President for a most dynamic, unique, and historic mission, and that was to Kenya and Ethiopia. Let me congratulate him for a stupendous diplomatic success and interaction with a continent that will be the largest populated land area in the 21st century. What an amazing experience to be able to engage with businesses and see the opportunity for economic empowerment and cooperation between the United States and the many nation-states of the continent of Africa. It was exciting to see new, young businesspersons seeking an opportunity to work in their countries, but work with the United States, eager to work with U.S. businesses, welcoming U.S. investment, creating jobs in Africa, creating jobs in America--in particular, a broadcasting company that had been there for 50 years creating jobs in the United States, creating jobs in Kenya. Let me indicate what a success this story was. Along with the regional security issues, there was a commitment with the African Union to stand against Boko Haram and a commitment to establish civility and peace in South Sudan by demanding that there be a resolution of this by August 17--not the President standing alone, but working with the African Union, representing the tens upon tens of African nations, it was a resounding success, and I congratulate the President. As I come home and as a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, I am reminded of the tragedy of a young woman who had all of her life before her, and that was Sandra Bland. My commitment still is to offer my appreciation to the law enforcement officers across America and, as we all do, respect law and order; but in the instance where there is a tragic result, the death of this young woman, 28, with two undergraduate degrees and a master's degree, her death was the result of malfeasance. We must walk together in a respectful manner with law enforcement and civilians. We have done it before. We must do it again. I believe that it is crucial for the Department of Justice to take over this investigation on a number of aspects, including patting down and other practices of law enforcement in Waller County and Hempstead, and certainly the question of this young lady's civil rights. I ask that they look seriously, because even though there are alleged good intentions by the local authorities in establishing committees to review this, this is not regular order, this is not a procedure that works. No one understands the decision of a district attorney--unless he yields to an independent prosecutor, which this district attorney in Waller County is not--to have a committee of individuals with no authority whatsoever review this matter. People and families are in pain. Certainly, we can do better as law enforcement and civilians working together. I also want to recognize that this is the 50th year of the Voting Rights Act. I join the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Hoyer, and Mr. Clyburn in celebrating and acknowledging this exciting time that opened the doors of voting for everyone. One vote, one person. On August 6, I call upon my community in the 18th Congressional District in Houston to have a voting day--registering people to vote in a nonpartisan manner, bringing them out and celebrating the right to vote, when many countries do not have it. Let's make the Voting Rights reauthorization the cause of this Congress. Let's have Americans celebrate voting rights. Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say this. While I was in Africa, one of the headlines was the killing of Cecil, a beautiful lion. The nations I visited were falling to their knees because they believe in wildlife preservation. We enjoy it here in our Nation's zoos. We haven't had that privilege of seeing these wonderful animals--giraffes, lions, tigers, and a whole array--in the wild. It was an American who killed this beautiful lion. What a disgrace. That individual is a disgrace. This individual had the responsibility for knowing of his guides and of the procedures of doing this kill for sport. He lured the animal out of the park. America must stand with Kenya, Ethiopia, and the other African nations in showing its outrage. Sadly, it was a citizen of the United States who was more interested in his personal privilege and pleasure than he was in understanding this iconic lion--the last male species of this kind, with a black mane and a giant of a personality--and helping to preserve this species. He couldn't find any other joy than killing Cecil. I am saddened by this, and America should be saddened as well.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great excitement to congratulate the Houston City Council and our chief, Charles McClelland, for naming our beacon of law enforcement building after Edward Alfred Thomas, the longest serving and greatest patrol officer in the history of the Houston Police Department, so noted by fellow officers. Edward Alfred Thomas was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1920. He played football for Southern University. As well, he was drafted in World War II, where he saw action with the United States Army in Normandy, in northern Africa, and during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, with his honorable discharge, Edward Thomas became one of the first African American police officers in the city of Houston-- when he started, he could not vote without a poll tax--where he worked for 63 years until his retirement on July 23, 2011. He worked for more than six decades, way before the civil rights movement. His work was not without challenges. Because of his work and because of his race, Officer Thomas was not allowed to drive a squad car or arrest White suspects without obtaining permission from his supervisor. At one point in his career, he was disciplined for speaking to a White meter maid, who asked him to walk with her in order to avoid the unwanted attention and advances of nearby construction workers, just extending himself and doing his job. I am excited about him having his name on the 26-story headquarters building, and I would offer to say that, to this great leader, I will be coming home to present you with a number of resolutions and honor. I know that he wants the Voting Rights Act reauthorized because he couldn't vote then, but now, he stands as the longest serving police officer and one of great service. I salute you, Edward Alfred Thomas.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Colorado, and let me thank my good friend from Texas as well. Let me use a great philosopher's statement of a couple of decades ago: ``Can we all get along?'' As I stand here, on the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 that is now with the rule before us, it is obvious that we are trying to take a divergent pathway. I was one of the first Members of Congress to go down in front of my veterans hospital to stand and to demand quality health care for our veterans, to ask that the system be fixed. I take no backseat, along with other Members, to ensuring that our veterans get what they need, and stand in line to make sure that they are not defaulted on by the American people. H.R. 1994 eliminates the due process rights of whistleblowers who have been key to drawing attention to any manipulation or coverups taking place. They are bringing back to the floor this bill, calling it an accountability bill; but, in essence, it is to go after hard-working employees and fire them and eliminating their opportunity to explain or to have due process. That is not the American way. This is not a bill that helps veterans. In fact, it takes away consistent, long-working employers who see something and say something, and so I am voting ``no'' on the bill and this rule. Then the surface transportation had a wonderful opportunity to do a 6-year bill, to look for pay-fors that Members could bring together and support; yet my metro, the Houston metro, will be suffering. Our highways and other surface transportation entities, safety will be suffering. Employees will not be paid. Here we go again with a short-term opportunity. I remember doing a 6- year transportation bill, where I opened up the hike and bike trails of my community in Houston.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I would offer to say that a highway bill, 6 years, or a surface transportation bill for 6 years is a bipartisan American way to do things. Why don't we do that for the American people and do it now? Vote ``no'' on the rule. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security, I rise to speak on H.R. 3236, Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015,'' which reauthorizes federal-aid highway and transit programs for three months--through October 29, 2015--by transferring $8.1 billion from other federal funds to the Highway Trust Fund to cover projected trust fund shortfalls over that time period. The bill also allows the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) to use $3.4 billion provided last year for the Veterans Choice health care program to pay for care provided since May 1 to veteran patients by non-VA providers under VA Care in the Community programs. The bill also is intended to give the VA the funding flexibility needed to prevent the possible closure of some VA hospitals in coming weeks. Mr. Speaker, instead of this 90-day temporary extension, I would have strongly preferred that we were debating a comprehensive, fair, equitable, and long-term transportation reauthorization bill the nation desperately needs. We have had two years to do so. Democrats want such a bill as does the President, but apparently our friends across the aisle do not since they have spent the last two years wasting time on advocating policies wanted by no one except for the right-wing extremists of the Tea Party. But I reluctantly support this emergency but temporary measure because as the Department of Transportation has reported, if we do not act now highway trust fund balances by the beginning of August will reach dangerously low levels and result in a reduction of payments to states by an average of 28 percent. Many states have already begun to cancel or delay planned construction projects, threatening 700,000 thousands of jobs, including 106,100 jobs in my home state of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Highway Trust Fund was created in 1956 during the Eisenhower Administration to help finance construction of the Interstate Highway System, which modernized the nation's transportation infrastructure and was instrumental in making the United States the world's dominant economic power for two generations. Our national leaders then understood that investing in our roads and bridges strengthened our economy, created millions of good-paying jobs, and improved the quality of life for all Americans. It is currently composed of two accounts that fund federal-aid highway and transit projects built by states. Federal funding from the trust fund accounts for a major portion of state transportation spending. The Highway Trust Fund is financed by gasoline and diesel taxes, which until the last decade produced a steady increase in revenues sufficient to accommodate increased levels of spending on highway and transit projects. However, those tax rates--18.4 cents/gallon federal tax on gasoline and a 24.4 cents/gallon tax on diesel fuel--have remained unchanged since 1993 and were not indexed to inflation so the value of those revenues has eroded over the years, and, combined with the fact that vehicles have been getting increasingly better mileage, the revenues deposited into the Highway Trust Fund beginning last decade have not kept pace with highway and transit spending from the trust fund. Consequently, since 2008, Congress has periodically had to transfer at the 11th hour general Treasury revenues into the trust fund to pay for authorized highway and transit spending levels and avoid a funding shortfall. The total amount to date is more than $54 billion. Obviously, this practice is economically inefficient and injects uncertainty in the highway construction plans, projects, and schedules of state and local transportation agencies, not to mention the anxiety it causes to workers and businesses whose economic livelihood is dependent on those projects. Mr. Speaker, the last transportation authorized by Congress for 4 years or more, SAFETEA-LU, expired on September 30, 2009, at the end of FY 2009. Because Congress and the Administration could not agree to a new reauthorization, it was necessary to resort to stop-gap temporary extensions on no less than eight occasions spanning a period of 910 days before Congress finally enacted the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act'' (MAP-21 Act) on July 6, 2012, which reauthorized highway and transportation programs through Fiscal Year 2014, a little more than two years, or until September 30, 2014. MAP-21 was intended as a short-term measure to give Congress and the Administration breathing room to reach agreement on a long-term reauthorization bill. Yet, as Mr. Levin, the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee, has often pointed out, since gaining the majority in 2010, our Republican colleagues have failed to take any action to sustain the Highway Trust Fund over the long-term and shore up vital infrastructure projects and has not held even a single hearing on financing options for the Highway Trust Fund. Instead, House Republicans have wasted the nation's time voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act at least 59 times, waging a War on Women, pursuing partisan investigations into Benghazi, the IRS, and the trying to overturn President Obama's executive actions that make our immigration enforcement laws less inhumane. Instead of doing their job, House Republicans big new idea is to attack the President for doing his job. Mr. Speaker, it is long past time for this Congress, and especially the House majority, to focus on the real problems and challenges facing the American people. And one of the biggest of those challenges is ensuring that America has a transportation policy and the infrastructure needed to compete and win in the global economy of the 21st Century. To do that we have to extend the reauthorization of current transportation programs and to authorize the transfer of the funds to the Highway Trust Fund needed to fund authorized construction projects and keep 700,000 workers, including 106,100 in Texas on the job. But that is only a start and just a part of our job. The real work that needs to be done in the remaining days of this Congress is to reach an agreement on a long-term highway and transportation bill that is fair, equitable, fiscally responsible, creates jobs and leads to sustained economic growth.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2127, the ``Securing Expedited Screening Act.'' I support this bipartisan legislation because it addresses a major issue with the implementation of security measures and the impact of those measures on the traveling public while in our nation's airports. I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi for introducing this thoughtful and necessary legislation that will assist the Transportation Security Administration and the public. The ``Securing Expedited Screening Act'' will allow the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to expedite security screening of passengers who participate in this program and allow the security agency to focus its resources on screening individuals who may need more extensive screening. This legislation limits the categories of airline passengers who may receive expedited airport screening by the TSA, allowing such screening only for passengers who are members of a TSA trusted traveler program such as PreCheck. This legislation will also include individuals who are a part of the United States Military. The TSA may also provide expedited screenings to passengers who are 75 years of age or older; or 12 years of age and younger if their parent or guardian is a participant in the PreCheck program. This legislation also allows for the TSA to have the freedom to determine if there is another group of individuals who may be included in the PreCheck program. Though the TSA must allow for Congress to provide an individual assessment to include new groups into the program. Trusted programs like PreCheck that allow for the TSA officers to remain vigilant of potential threats. With the recent news of the low pass rate of the TSA in the news, this legislation assists those officers in focusing on those individuals who were not prechecked before they attempt to enter the airport terminals. Mr. Speaker, this is why I join with my colleagues in working to strengthen the programs that assist the TSA in protecting our commercial airports throughout this country. I urge all of colleagues in the House to support H.R. 2127 ``Securing Expedited Screening Act.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to speak out against the loss of innocent lives that resulted from yet another unimaginable act of violence in our great country. I humbly ask the House to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the horrific tragedy that occurred in a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, on July 23, 2015. My thoughts and prayers are with these victims, the families, and the friends of those who lost loved ones in this horrific shooting. From current reports, we know that the gunman unloaded over 13 rounds into the crowd at the movie theater late Thursday night. The gunman inexplicably began his rampage by firing shots into the seats directly in front of him, and then took his own life. His actions claimed the lives of two young women, Mayci Breaux and Jillian Johnson, and injured nine others at the Grand Multiplex Theater in Lafayette, Louisiana. I want to commend the rapid response by the law enforcement personnel that arrived at the scene and acted with courage and skill, likely preventing any further loss of innocent lives. Individuals who have a history of mental instability, as did this shooter, should never be allowed to possess a firearm. This is why my colleagues and I co-sponsored, H.R. 226, the ``Keeping Guns from High Risk Individuals Act'', which prevents individuals with a history of mental illness from gaining access to firearms. Tragic events such as this should not be a part of the American culture. Yet, in 2015 alone, we have had 204 mass shootings where innocent lives have been senselessly taken from our communities. No American should ever have to experience fear and violence when they are stepping out into their communities to participate in activities, such as going to the movies or attending a faith meeting. Americans have proven time and time again that we are capable of tackling the tough issues that face our nation and culture. Violent acts such as this highlight the need for serious and positive reforms to help enhance public safety. Congress needs to work with the President to develop and enact sensible gun violence prevention legislation. We cannot give up, no matter the obstacles placed before us. We can no longer be complacent or passive; we need to enact policies that could save lives. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask, how many more lives and incidents will it take before Congress acts to take on this pressing issue? Are not the shootings in Aurora, Colorado; Sandy Hook, Connecticut; Charleston, South Carolina; Tucson, Arizona; Blacksburg, Virginia; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, or any of the other 200 mass shootings across the nation, enough to spur us to act? Mr. Speaker, it does not have to be this way; there are many actions we can take to reduce gun violence in America. All we have to do is summon the will.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1656, the ``Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015.'' The ``Secret Service Improvements Act,'' is important because it will provide vital resources and strengthen protections of this important agency. The Secret Service agency is one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world and has earned this reputation by providing 140 years of unparalleled service to this nation. However, the Secret Service is facing a number of challenges, including the need for more resources, better training, better use of technology, and a better understanding of emerging threats. This bill addresses each of these needs. I am particularly pleased that Section 14 of this bill incorporates my amendment to create an Ethics Program Office to fully and effectively implement and administer the ethics laws, regulations, and policies governing Secret Service employees. In recent years, the image of this once-revered agency has been tarnished--both because of misbehavior of agents and performance issues that resulted in security lapses. Much of the negative attention on the personal behavior of Secret Service agents was initially prompted by the revelations in 2012 involving the solicitation of prostitutes by agents of the Secret Service in Cartagena, Colombia. At the time, it was reported that a dozen Secret Service agents engaged the services of prostitutes before a presidential visit to Colombia for the Summit of the Americas. I attended that Summit and was appalled to have learned of the behavior of some of the agents. In my capacity as Ranking Member of the Judiciary's Subcommittee on Crime and Senior Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I examined the Cartagena incident, and met with then-Director Mark Sullivan to express my concern and press for strong corrective action. In fact, I have engaged in persistent oversight with respect to issues involving the Secret Service, ranging from the intrusion into the White House last year to the 2009 incident in which a couple evaded security to attend a state dinner at the White House honoring the Prime Minister of India. I have met with Directors of the Secret Service on multiple occasions over the past several years to discuss and address performance and misconduct issues. Agent misconduct of the sorts that have taken place in recent years is unacceptable. It is more than offensive--it jeopardizes the ability of the agency to carry out its core mission. To address misconduct issues and ethical lapses by Secret Service personnel, the manager's amendment includes a provision I developed, in cooperation with the Secret Service, that will help elevate the issue of ethical conduct at the agency through the creation of an Ethics Program Office. With respect to other issues related to the protection provided by the Secret Service, it is clear that the agency has been operating at an unacceptable level of resources. The agency is understaffed at the agent and Uniform Division levels, resulting in shifts that are too long and which leave inadequate time for training. The agency also needs to better use state-of-the-art technology and communications equipment. All of these deficiencies contributed to the security breakdowns that allowed a man to climb over the White House fence, evade Secret Service officers while running across the White House lawn, and then run into the White House itself. The goal of H.R. 1656 is to prevent future such incidents--and to protect against even more sophisticated threats that could result in far more harm. This bill also would require that future directors of the Secret Service, after nomination by the President, be subject to Senate confirmation. The current Director, Joseph Clancy, appears to be doing a good job in reinvigorating that agency, and we do not propose this as a criticism of him, or the President's selection of him, in any way. However, this position--as is the case with the directors of the other law enforcement components of the Department of Homeland Security--should be Senate-confirmed, reinforcing the need to appoint the most highly-qualified candidates and elevating the position in stature. With the consideration of this legislation today, we recognize that it is unfortunately the case that the Secret Service has recently failed to live up to its high standards with respect to the protection it provides our President and others. By adopting the ``Secret Service Improvements Act,'' we can help restore the agency so that it will be better prepared to achieve its mission.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2750, the Improved Security Vetting for Aviation Workers Act, which directs the Transportation Security Administrator to annually review airport badging office procedures for applicants seeking access to sensitive areas of airports. I commend the bipartisan work of Chairman McSally and Ranking Member Payne for their work on this bill. The bill would direct the Transportation Security Administrator to coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security and consult with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a pilot program of the Rap Back Service in preparation for possible full implementation. The Administrator is further directed to determine the lawful status of aviation workers in order to identify airports with specific weaknesses. The Administrator will brief the House Committees on Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure as well as the Senate Committees on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the results of the determinations and reviews. This is a good step forward in support of security at our nation's airports. As the Committee charged with the responsibility of improving security at our nation's airports this forward looking bill will allow a pilot program to determine if there are better resources for assuring the security of the traveling public. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 2750.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support to H.R. 2770, the ``Keeping Our Travelers Safe and Secure Act of 2015'', which would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require improvements in the maintenance of security-related technology located at airports. I commend my colleague's bill, which would outline specific requirements and procedures that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must follow in maintaining security-related technology deployed at airports. I strongly support the measures that would be implemented in this bill in light of the Homeland Security Department's Inspector General Examination of the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) airport screening equipment maintenance program, which determined that adequate policies and procedures had not been implemented. Mr. Speaker, as a senior Member of the Homeland Security Committee and former chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I strongly support measures to improve aviation security. The Inspector General, report focused on concerns in the security technologies maintenance processes of our airports. The report said that TSA did not have sufficient policies to oversee whether routine preventative maintenance was accomplished. Mr. Speaker, in my hometown of Houston, nearly 40 million passengers traveled through Bush International Airport (IAH) and an additional 10 million traveled through William P. Hobby (HOU). This makes my city one of the busiest traveled cities in the country, and as TSA is the first line of defense in safeguarding transportation throughout the nation, we as a Congress should make sure we do all we can to support their needs. This bill will ensure that these imperative steps in the upkeep of TSA equipment are not overlooked any more, as the agency must provide a monthly preventive maintenance schedule to appropriate airport personnel, streamlining the communication process amongst contractors and the airports themselves. Also, this bill requires that the TSA must impose penalties for noncompliance when preventative and/or corrective maintenance does not meet contractual requirements or manufacturer specifications. Mr. Speaker, we must provide the guidance and tools needed by the TSA to ensure the safety of the millions that travel through our nation's airports. H.R. 2770, the ``Keeping Our Travelers Safe and Secure Act of 2015'' is a positive step forward in handling the issues raised by the Inspector General's report on our country's airports security systems. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in support of H.R. 2770.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2206, the State Wide Interoperable Communications Enhancement Act, which would establish a grant program to preserve and strengthen interoperable emergency communications capabilities for local and state first responders. The bill requires a state to include in its application for State Homeland Security Grant Program funding a certification: That the governor of the state has designated a Statewide Interoperability Coordinator; or Indicating that the state is performing the functions of such a Coordinator in another manner and identifying the primary point of contact for performance of such functions. The bill would establish the role of State Interoperability Coordinator as: Overseeing the daily operations of the state's interoperability efforts; Coordinating state interoperability and communications projects and grant applications for such projects; Establishing and maintaining working groups to develop and implement key interoperability initiatives; and Implementing and updating a Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan that specifies the current status of state efforts to enhance communications interoperability within the state, including future goals for communications interoperability among emergency response agencies in the state. The bill would formalize the role of the State Wide Interoperability Coordinator to ensure that there was a single point of contact in each state. The bill will assist in establishing a single point of contact for Statewide interoperability for state and local first responders; Second, the legislation is necessary to create a seamless level of communication between the Department of Homeland Security and states to ensure that communications regarding terrorist attacks, natural or manmade disasters are managed appropriately. As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I am well aware, as are many of my colleagues, of the essential and lifesaving role of communications during a crisis. Because the tragedy of September 11, 2001, was compounded by communication failures among the brave first responders who entered the burning towers that comprised the World Trade Center it has been an imperative of the Homeland Security Committee to address first responder communication interoperability challenges. The number of first responders lost on that single day was the greatest loss of first responders at any single event in U.S. History: 343 New York City Fire Department firefighters; 23 New York City Police Department Officers; 37 Port Authority Police Department officers, 15 EMTs and 3 court officers were casualties of the attacks. The need for this bill authored by Congressman Payne is evident. The City of Houston covers over a 1,000 square mile region in Southeast Texas. It has a night-time population of nearly two million people, which peaks with over three million daytime inhabitants. The city of Houston's 9-1-1 Emergency Center manages nearly 9,000 emergency calls per day. The volume of emergency calls can easily double during times of inclement weather or special City social/ sporting events like Hurricanes Ike in September 2008; and Katrina as well as Rita, which occurred in September and October of 2005. Annually, one out of every ten citizens uses EMS. There are over 200,000 EMS incidents involving over 225,000 patients or potential patients annually. On the average, EMS responds to a citizen every 3 minutes. Each EMS response is made by one of 88 City of Houston EMS vehicles. In 2013, the City of Houston's fire Department lost Captain EMT Matthew Renaud, Engineer Operator EMT Robert Bebee, Firefighter EMT Robert Garner and Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan when they responded to a hotel fire. Each member of the House of Representatives knows of the loss of a first responder who was going to the aid of those in harm's way.This bill will offer additional resources to the first responders of the Department of Homeland Security. This bill will ensure that a critical communication element for our nation's first responders and the role of the Department of Homeland Security in providing them with support is addressed. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 2206.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3009, the so-called ``Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act.'' I oppose this legislation because it undermines public safety, fails to address needed immigration reform, promotes a deportation-only approach, and will not achieve the Republican leadership's stated purpose in bringing the bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, nothing in H.R. 3009 would have prevented the tragic killing of an innocent young woman in San Francisco. Instead, this bill is being rushed to the floor for the sole purpose of exploiting that tragedy by scapegoating immigrants and undocumented persons, holding them responsible for the actions of one person, and avoiding action on comprehensive immigration reform. It is undisputable that victims of murder deserve justice. H.R. 3009 the ``Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act'' would push undocumented immigrants further into the shadows and create and an environment with heightened threats to our safety and ability to seek justice. Stripping state and local law enforcement agencies of key funding and resources impedes their ability to combat crime and protect our communities. Surely, House Republicans do not want to tie the hands of law enforcement when it comes to preventing and investigating criminal acts. Rather than taking positive steps to promote better cooperation and communication between Federal, State and local authorities, where appropriate, H.R. 3009 punishes State and local law enforcement agencies that prioritize public safety and community policing over immigration enforcement efforts. Nearly every major law enforcement association in the country, from the Major Cities Chiefs Associations, the Major Counties Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, opposes H.R. 3009 and the host of other similar and related proposals set forth by Republicans. H.R. 3009 simply spreads the myth that all immigrants are criminals and threats to the public--despite decades of research that demonstrate the fact that immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born persons and are less likely to end up in prison. In fact, thousands immigrant populations throughout the country have resided within our country for decades as law-abiding, tax-paying, hard-working model persons who contribute to our nation's economy and culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Additionally, thousands of immigrant populations are actually here seeking safety and refuge because they too are victims of horrific abuse, torture and massacre that plagues their native countries. Yet, once again we are discussing measures that simply seek to enhance and promote mass criminalization, racial profiling and discrimination, and deportation of immigrants. In just this past year, House Republicans have voted to: 1. Deport hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who came to the country as children and are American in all but name; 2. Deport millions of parents of US citizens who are playing by the rules, contributing to their communities and working to support their families; and 3. Deport without due process tens of thousands of unaccompanied children who came to the US fleeing persecution, extreme violence and trafficking. Just this past Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit issued an opinion dismissing immunity claims by ICE Agents who unlawfully detained an American citizen. A U.S. citizen who was born in Guatemala and has resided here since the 1980s and was naturalized in 1995, was subjected to multiple ICE detainers in violation of her Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. On at least two occasions the plaintiff was detained by ICE and questioned about her citizenship--despite her repeated claims and assertion of her legal status. No efforts were made to confirm or investigate prior to her detention by ICE which allowed her to be booked, strip-searched and held in jail for up to 48-hours. ``Detain first, question later'' practices and policies should not be supported--yet H.R. 3009 penalizes law enforcement for refusing to gather information about one's citizenship or immigration status where such actions are unwarranted. President Obama issued a statement today advising that H.R. 3009 will get vetoed if presented to him for signature. It cannot be said that immigration reform is being taken seriously, when proposals are rushed and fail to go through regular order. Serious reform requires bringing to the floor for debate a comprehensive immigration bill that reforms our broken immigration system by making it fairer and more humane, and secures our Northern, Southern, and maritime borders and our ports. The House Homeland Security Committee proved this can be done last year when it reported out of committee on a unanimous vote, H.R. 1417, the Border Security Results Act of 2014. Instead of wasting time on legislation that is designed to attract publicity rather than have any realistic chance of becoming law, we should be bringing to the floor for debate legislation that will address the real problems and challenges facing the American people. Instead of squandering valuable floor time on this irresponsible legislation, the House should be allowed to work its will on issues that matter, like raising the minimum wage, protecting the right to vote of all Americans, and passing criminal justice reform that builds trust and respect between law enforcement agencies and the communities they are to protect and serve.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance of Jacob ``J.J.'' Chestnut and John Gibson, who lost their lives on July 24, 1998, protecting the Members of this Chamber and the public while rendering honorable service as members of the U.S. Capitol Police Department. President John F. Kennedy once remarked: ``A man does what he must in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures, and that is the basis of all human morality.'' On July 24, 1998 this idea was given tangible expression when Officers Chestnut and Gibson lost their lives while serving others in the line of duty. As the assailant opened fire in the hall of the Capitol, Officers Chestnut and Gibson reacted by putting themselves between the gunman and the innocent persons and representatives present in the Capitol that day. Who knows what carnage would have unfolded had Officer Gibson not brought an end to this violence by neutralizing the assailants. I vividly remember being here in this very chamber when the shootout started in 1998, and I know that their heroic actions saved many lives. Officer Chestnut was on his second tour of public service, previously serving in the Vietnam War as an officer. His military leadership skills translated seamlessly into his Capitol Police Officer role and were recognized when he was named Capitol Police Officer of the Year. Even though Officer Chestnut was close to retirement his tireless effort to fulfill his role as protector saved many lives on that tragic day. Officer Gibson not only was active and respected by his colleagues here on Capitol Hill, his commitment to his local community was exemplary. An eighteen year veteran of the department, Officer Gibson was described as a model officer who always followed the golden rule and treated others with respect whether in uniform or not. I would also like to thank all of the Capitol Hill Police Officers who protect me and my colleagues in Congress as well as the thousands of Americans who visit their national Capitol every day. These guardians protect more than the innocent people around them that day. They serve as examples of the oath all of our men and women in uniform take when volunteering to serve their nation as Capitol Police Officers: We protect the legislative process, the symbol of our democracy, the people who carry out the process, and the millions of visitors who travel here to see democracy in action; Every American who visits the Capitol, as well as those visitors from around the world, is a member of our protected community and sees first-hand how we are the best of America's spirit and diversity; As an agency, we are a microcosm of America, representational of many races, colors, religions, political affiliations, sexual orientations, and ages. Our workforce derives from almost all 50 states and territories, with some representation from other countries. We embrace and celebrate a diverse workforce, where we believe inclusion makes our workplace stronger and respecting each individual as a person and as a professional is essential; and; We represent the best in American policing. We act on the world stage every day of the year, as a model in security, urban crime prevention, dignitary protection, specialty response capabilities, and homeland security. We are often the first face that visitors and employees encounter, and we leave a lasting impression that is reflective of the Legislative Branch and its role in America's democracy. Officers Chestnut and Gibson exemplified what the incredible sacrifice is that police officers make every day when they head out into the community to protect and serve their family, friends, and neighbors. Mr. Speaker, this is why I am proud to remember the heroic actions of the Capitol Police Officers J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson on this day in 1998. The Scriptures teach that no great love hath any but that he lay down his life for another. Officers Chestnut and Gibson showed great love for their fellow men and women on July 24, 1998, and for their heroism, they will always be remembered.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on August 6, just a few days from now, America will have the privilege of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, with the sadness to know that that Voting Rights Act has been gutted by the United States Supreme Court with instructions for this Congress to respond to the rights of Americans to vote. I am very proud of the words that Justice Ginsburg said: It is common sense that, if polio is on the demise, why get rid of the polio vaccination. Voting prohibitions and prohibiting people from voting has decreased over the decades, but it has because of the Voting Rights Act. Frankly, we are doing a great disservice. When there are rebel flags being flown to show racial divide or monuments that represent very dire comments about those who are slaves, it looks as if this Congress could bring a voting rights legislation to be voted on for all Americans to be able to vote. What a sad state of affairs when we cannot have a real vote on the floor of the House to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act, which many of us have worked on even from the last Congress. I finally conclude by saying on this floor will be a bill dealing with what we call sanctuary cities, taking advantage of an enormous tragedy of which I offer my deepest sympathy. The National League of Cities, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the national Major County Sheriffs' Association are saying that the bill dealing with sanctuary cities is misguided. It penalizes law enforcement, and it doesn't allow the common sense that should have been issued in San Francisco, pick up the phone and communicate. I think we should do the right kind of law in this body, not laws that will undermine the very principles of democracy, equality, and justice. Pass a Voting Rights Act now.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I call upon House Speaker Boehner to bring legislation intended to protect the right to vote of all Americans to the floor for debate and vote in advance of the 50th anniversary of the landmark Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965. This action is long overdue. It has been more than two years since the Supreme Court decided Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 193 (2013), which invalidated Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act and paralyzed the application of the Act's Section 5 preclearance requirements, which protect minority voting rights where voter discrimination has historically been the worst. In the 49 years since its passage in 1965, the Voting Rights Act has safeguarded the right of Americans to vote and stood as an obstacle to many of the more egregious attempts by certain states and local jurisdictions to game the system by passing discriminatory changes to their election laws and administrative policies. In signing the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson said: The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men. Although much progress has been made there is still much work to be done in order to prevent systemic voter suppression and discrimination within our communities and we must remain ever vigilant and oppose schemes that will abridge or dilute the precious right to vote. Since 1982, Section 5 has stopped more than 1,000 discriminatory voting changes in their tracks, including 107 discriminatory changes in Texas. In the aftermath of the Shelby decision, I was a member of the working group led by Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina that was tasked with sharing ideas, making recommendations, and crafting and drafting the legislation that would repair the damage done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court decision and capable of winning majorities in the House and Senate and the signature of the President. That effort resulted in the Voting Rights Amendments Act, (H.R. 3899 and H.R. 885) of which I am an original co-sponsor, which repairs the damage done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court decision. This legislation replaces the old `static' coverage formula with a new dynamic coverage formula, or `rolling trigger,' which effectively gives the legislation nationwide reach because any state and any jurisdiction in any state potentially is subject to being covered if the requisite number of violations are found to have been committed. I am also a sponsor of H.R. 2867, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, a bill that restores and advances the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by providing a modern day coverage test that will extend federal oversight to jurisdictions which have a history of voter suppression and protects vulnerable communities from discriminatory voting practices. I am also a sponsor of H.R. 12, the Voter Empowerment Act of 2015, which protects voters from suppression, deception, and other forms of disenfranchisement by modernizing voter registration, promoting access to voting for individuals with disabilities, and protecting the ability of individuals to exercise the right to vote in elections for federal office. For millions of Americans, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is sacred treasure, earned by the sweat and toil and tears and blood of ordinary Americans who showed the world it was possible to accomplish extraordinary things. The Voting Rights Act is needed as much today to prevent another epidemic of voting disenfranchisement as Dr. Salk's vaccine is still needed to prevent another polio epidemic. I again call upon Speaker Boehner to bring H.R. 2867, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, and H.R. 12, Voter Empowerment Act of 2015, to the floor for a vote before August 6, the 50th anniversary of the landmark Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson and three weeks before President Johnson's 107th birthday.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be here with my colleagues from all over the Nation, Leader Pelosi, Whip Hoyer, and my colleague as well, Congressman Johnson from Dallas. We all gathered at the funeral of Speaker Wright, and it was almost like a reunion of family members from the many political persons, public servants who not only through the years have known Speaker Wright, but really, those who came to honor him because of the iconic role that he played in the history of Texas and the history of America. We are excited that he was a Speaker that cared about people and cared about Members. He, as was indicated, was born in Fort Worth, loved Fort Worth, and never wanted to leave Fort Worth. I think it is interesting that he was the son of a professional boxer who turned tailor. After the attack in Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he left college to enlist in the United States Army and flew combat missions in the South Pacific, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and Legion of Merit. He was of the Greatest Generation. He served in the Texas House. From his hometown of Weatherford, he became the mayor for his boyhood home. He served in that post for 4 years, from 1950 to 1954, before his first congressional victory. Speaker Wright had a way with words. He was an eloquent speaker. He was a disciple of House Speaker Sam Rayburn, a fellow Texan. He was also a disciple of another Texan, Lyndon B. Johnson, who served in the Senate during Wright's initial years in Congress before becoming Vice President in 1961. He was in the Presidential motorcade on November 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. To describe the depth of sadness that engulfed us that day defies vocabulary, he once said, recalling how the friendly mood of the Dallas crowds turned to sheer terror and horror. It was that day that his friend, Lyndon B. Johnson, became the President of the United States. He worked hard for the people of Fort Worth. He was a person of deep courage, brilliance, eloquence, and complete mastery of the legislative process. He was decisive and strong, and he handled his Texas Members. He championed the causes of Texas. He believed in the goodness of America, and he was a great achiever. He loved the Boy Scouts. As I indicated, his father was a boxer, and he started out doing that as well. I come today to honor him as a great American and to add to this tribute that he served with President Lyndon Baines Johnson when the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act were passed. He was a friend of one of my predecessors, the Honorable Barbara Jordan. They served together. They knew each other. They were strong Texans, but they loved America. I know that, as we look to promoting his legacy, besides caring about this institution and loving America and honoring our men and women in the United States military, I know that it is also time, in his name, to bring forward the Voting Rights Act reauthorization that will, again, restore and invest in the rights of people to vote and will capture what he understood to be the right way to handle America's business, and as well, it captures his friend's vision, the Honorable Barbara Jordan, who, in fact, wrote the language to add Texas to the Voting Rights Act. I thank you, Congressman, for having this very special Special Order for us to thank a dear friend who, again, I salute tonight as a great American. To his family, thank you so very much for sharing Jim Wright--Speaker Wright--a great Texan and a great American, with all of us. Mr. Speaker, today, we mourn the loss of one of America's most distinguished and dedicated public servants: Speaker Jim Wright. From the service that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II to the leadership that defined his 34 years in the House, Jim Wright exemplified commitment to the future of America's families. Jim Wright represented Fort Worth in Congress for 34 years. Jim Wright was a peacemaker, local politician and international leader and a consummate Democrat who offered his hand for bipartisanship. Jim Wright worked for the people of Fort Worth, whether it was winning a bomber contract for a Fort Worth defense contractor or helping an individual with their Social Security. Speaker Wright was a person of deep courage, brilliant eloquence, and complete mastery of the legislative process. Speaker Wright's strong, decisive leadership built an indelible legacy of progress, not only in his beloved state of Texas, but around the world. Speaker Wright championed prosperity for every working family, and helped lead the way to peace to Central America. After he left the House, Wright continued to share his wisdom with new generations of leaders as a professor at Texas Christian University. Jim Wright was an achiever. When he was 10 years old, he tried to join the Boy Scouts, two years ahead of the minimum age. As a 13-year-old boxer, he told officials he was 16 in order to enter an AAU tournament, where he won two bouts and lost the third in a close decision. Jim Wright became hooked on history and decided to become a congressman while he was sidelined from high school football by a knee injury. Jim Wright was 23 when he started his political career when he was elected to the Texas Legislature. He never stopped serving our country, and his achievements will stand forever as a living monument to his determined vision and legendary ability. We hope it is a comfort to Speaker Wright's family, friends, students and colleagues that so many join them in grieving and honoring such a wonderful man. Today we bury a favorite son of Texas. Speaker Wright was a man who loved his country and today we mourn his loss. He was the Speaker of the House in Congress and a humble man. During the funeral many spoke to his ability to forgive and the words of his great-granddaughter will always stay with me which was that when we leave the funeral today she wanted us to think of hope over despair and prosperity over scarcity. If the Congress can begin to turn its attention to these philosophies America will be a better nation. We should always pay tribute to those who helped make Texas great. Speaker Wright has left us with a remarkable story.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ``Federal Cigarette Labeling Act'' of 1965. Passed by the 89th Congress, the ``Federal Cigarette Labeling Act'' was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 27, 1965, in response to the mounting scientific evidence that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer and is a serious public health concern for the nation. At the time this act was being debated in Congress, cigarette smoking was simply not viewed as a public health concern. Cigarette smoking was viewed as a norm, with virtually no harmful effects. Tobacco companies often falsified data to make the claim that some cigarettes were even healthy for you to smoke. One famous advertisement campaign was for the Lucky Strike cigarettes made by the American Tobacco Company in the 1930's which used advertisements that stated ``20,679 physicians say Luckies are less irritating.'' Another advertisement campaign by the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company was called the ``More Doctors'' campaign which attempted to reshape the image that cigarettes were safe. These are just a few of the false advertisements about the implications of smoking on an individual's health by the tobacco industry and which were a contributing factor in the rise of lung cancer mortality rates in the United States. To assist in educating the American people about the dangers of smoking the ``Federal Cigarette Labeling Act'' required the entire tobacco industry to adapt to new regulations mandating that cigarette packages have a health warning label that stated, ``Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health.'' By implementing this simple warning label on cigarette packing, the public was given a notice on every box of the potential harm these tobacco smoking products may cause. This legislation also required the Federal Trade Commission to report to Congress annually on the effectiveness of cigarette labeling for the public. Along with labeling, this legislation created a framework of how the current promotional practices were to be employed by the tobacco industry for promoting their products. This legislation accelerated the American public's knowledge of the true dangers of smoking cigarettes. In 1986 Congress continued this endeavor to educate the American public on the harms of tobacco use by passing the ``Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act,'' which extended the health warning labels from just cigarettes to include smokeless tobacco products, along with the advertisements for them. In my city of Houston, Texas, lung cancer has become the deadliest cancer for my constituents, affecting not just former smokers but also nonsmokers. Progressive legislation like the ``Federal Cigarette Labeling Act'' has helped inform the American people of the potential danger of using tobacco products. Mr. Speaker, this is why I am proud to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ``Federal Cigarette Labeling Act'' of 1965 and to recognize its remarkable contributions to American public's access to information that allows them to make the best informed decision for their personal health.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to speak out against the senseless loss of innocent lives resulting from another unthinkable act of violence. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who were affected by the shootings on Thursday morning, July 16, especially the victims, the families, and our military community affected by this catastrophe. From current reports, we know that gunshots were fired at a military recruiting center and a Navy Reserve center in different parts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, late Thursday morning, tragically taking the lives of four Marines and wounding several others. I want to commend the law enforcement and emergency service agencies for their prompt response and management of this morning's tragic shootings and for carrying out the investigation thereafter. Americans come together at such times of tragedy to support each other. So at this time, I ask all Americans to keep the victims, their families, and our military members, in their thoughts and prayers. There is no place in a civilized society for such senseless acts of violence. Changing a culture of violence will not happen overnight but that is no excuse for failing to try. We must keeping trying. We must work tirelessly. For the sake of the victims of Chattanooga, Tennessee, we must not give up. I ask the House to observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims in Tennessee, and victims of gun violence everywhere.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me rise today to thank both the chairman and the ranking member of this committee, Mr. Chaffetz and Mr. Cummings, for their leadership on a very important issue, which I rise to be part of and with a little history on this issue with the earlier passage of the No FEAR Act so many years ago. I support this legislation which ensures agencies effectively implement their Equal Employment Opportunity, or EEO, programs and that Federal employees are never prevented from disclosing discriminatory or wasteful actions to Congress, the office of special counsel, or inspectors general. How important is that? We have a history of addressing workplace equality, and that is why I sponsored similar legislation with the No FEAR Act, which was first introduced in Congress in 2002. This was previous legislation that had a sense of Congress provision, whereas this particular legislation further strengthens the responsibilities and rights of employees. The No FEAR Act set the precedent for imposing additional duties upon Federal agency employers, intended to reinvigorate their longstanding obligation to provide a work environment free of discrimination and retaliation. On October 2, 2000, the House Science Committee held a hearing dealing with actions at one of our agencies. Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo had been in my office repeatedly. I mention her name because of her continued vigilance in speaking about issues dealing with whistleblowers. In actuality, this one involved a $600,000 jury decision against the EPA for race and sex discrimination under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As we all listened in this hearing, it was clear that what we wanted to do was prevent retaliation, which we see in this legislation here today. I am grateful that we now have a roadmap for dealing with individuals who want only the best for our government. I can give some of the names as an example: Mark Felt, the FBI agent known as Deep Throat during the Watergate scandal of the 1970s; Frank Serpico, a New York police officer who confronted his department for the rampant corruption the leadership let take place; Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco executive who admitted that tobacco companies knew they were putting addictive chemicals into their cigarettes; and, of course, Sherron Watkins, an executive of the Enron Corporation. Of course, these individuals come from different walks of life, but the whole idea is to make sure that we, as Members of Congress, recognize that whistleblower activities or actions are clearly a part of good government. According to the 2014 Federal employee viewpoint survey, only 60 percent of Federal employees agreed that they could ``disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule, or regulation without fear of reprisal.'' I know that your committee, Mr. Chaffetz and Mr. Cummings, is really the front line of providing this forum; and I am glad to be able to join you as a member of the Homeland Security Committee and Judiciary Committee to, again, emphasize the importance of safe and discrimination-free workplaces. I am grateful, again, to have had the opportunity firsthand to listen to at least one of our whistleblowers who only wanted to be able to help establish a workplace that was free of discrimination and fear. Again, I want to make mention of Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, a dedicated Federal employee who worked so very hard. [From NPR.org, Sept. 6, 2011] High Price of Blowing the Whistle on EPA Marsha Coleman-Adebayo earned a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and worked with the United Nations before joining the Environmental Protection Agency in 1990. During her time at the U.N., she also developed an expertise in African developmental issues. During her tenure at the EPA, Coleman-Adebayo says she requested that the agency devote attention to environmental problems in South Africa that were allegedly caused by an American company. She says that the agency reneged on promises to investigate the matter, and the harder she pushed for change, the more she faced a backlash from her superiors.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I make mention that we passed the No FEAR Act with a number of Members. As we have noted a number of whistleblowers who were actually Persons of the Year on Time Magazine, I join my colleagues in supporting the present underlying legislation and ask all Members to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original co-sponsor and strong support of H.R. 1557, the ``Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2015.'' I support this legislation because it ensures agencies effectively implement their Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs and that federal employees are never prevented from disclosing discriminatory or wasteful actions to Congress, the Office of Special Counsel, or Inspectors General. Let me express my thanks to Ranking Member Cummings for introducing this critical legislation that is essential to ensuring that our federal workplaces are free from discrimination, and that any barriers impeding fairness in personnel decisions are identified and eliminated. We have a history of addressing workplace equality and that is why I sponsored similar legislation when the No Fear Act was first introduced to Congress in 2002. The No Fear Act set the precedent for imposing additional duties upon Federal agency employers intended to reinvigorate their longstanding obligation to provide a work environment free of discrimination and retaliation. If you would allow me I would like to put a face on this problem. On October 2, 2000, the House Science Committee held a hearing entitled ``Intolerance at EPA--Harming People, Harming Science?'' Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, an EPA whistleblower, won a $600,000 jury decision against EPA for race and sex discrimination under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. During that hearing, then-chairman of the Science Committee Congressman Sensenbrenner illuminated the dangerous precedent set by the EPA, stating, ``While EPA has a clear policy on dealing with employees that discriminate, harass and retaliate against other EPA employees, no one apparently involved in the Coleman-Adebayo or Nolan cases have yet to be disciplined by EPA.'' Mr. Speaker no employee should fear voicing their concerns in reference to a safer more work conducive environment. We often look at individuals or groups who step forward as whistleblowers. This term has been used with a negative connotation to describe insubordinate employees, but history has shown us that whistleblowers are often heroes that have shed light on employers' illegal practices and as a result made the workplace better for future employees. Mark Felt, the FBI agent known as deep throat during the Watergate Scandal of the 1970s. Frank Serpico, New York police officer who confronted his department for the rampant corruption the leadership let take place. Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco executive who admitted that tobacco companies knew they were putting addictive chemicals into their cigarettes. And Sherron Watkins, an executive of the Enron corporation who was vital in exposing the financial lies and frauds of the company. All these individuals stood up against well-established corporations and agencies even when others doubted their claims. We must protect these types of acts in Federal offices and successfully implement the Equal Employment Opportunity Programs (EEO). Mr. Speaker, in a sense every Member of Congress is a whistleblower for the people in that uncovering and correcting problems in the agencies that administer the laws is an essential part of our oversight responsibilities. According to the 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, only 60 percent of federal employees agreed that they could quote, ``disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule or regulation without fear of reprisal.'' We must do better and ensure employees have confidence that they can report an act of discrimination without suffering retaliation. Employees need to know that EEO reports will be thoroughly, fairly, and timely investigated and adjudicated. H.R. 1557 would require that EEO programs operate independently of an agency's human resources or general counsel offices. This bill requires the head of the program report directly to the head of an agency and the act would prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements that restrict an employee from disclosing to Congress, the Office of Special Counsel, or instance of waste, fraud or abuse. As a senior member of the Committees on Homeland Security and the Judiciary, and as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, I understand the importance of safe and discrimination free workplaces. In conclusion, let me express my appreciation again to Ranking Member Cummings for introducing this legislation and Chairman Chaffetz for shepherding this bill to the floor. By strengthening existing requirements to ensure federal EEO programs meet high standards, we are implementing the best practices available to combat workplace discrimination.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained during a vote on H.R. 251, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2015. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support to H.R. 251, the ``Homes for Heroes Act of 2015,'' which would amend the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to establish in the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs. Our military veterans deserve our deepest gratitude for the courage and valor they demonstrated in service while defending the United States of America. I support this bill strongly because it ensure veterans fair access to HUD housing and homeless assistance programs, coordinates all HUD programs and activities relating to veterans, and betters serves as a HUD liaison with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Also, terminating the position of Special Assistant for Veterans Programs in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs would create more coordinated relations that will better serve the needs of our nation's veterans. Mr. Speaker, today, in our country, there are approximately 107,000 veterans (male and female) who are homeless on any given night. And perhaps twice as many (200,000) experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year. Many other veterans are considered near homeless or at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing. In my hometown of Houston for example, between the years 2010 and 2012, the number of homeless veterans increased from 771 to 1,162. President Obama and the Congress made a commitment to end homelessness by 2015. However, even with all the progress this administration has made, until we have every veteran permanently sheltered in the United States, we have not succeeded. I have always devoted myself in these efforts, as I know of the kind of impact assisting our heroes to get back on their feet can have on the well-being of our communities. H.R. 251, the ``Homes for Heroes Act of 2015,'' is a positive step towards the right direction in our effort to support our nation's heroes, who have put their lives on the line for our protection. Mr. Speaker, we cannot let this issue of homelessness continue. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in support of H.R. 251.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me add my appreciation as well to be one of those Members who joined Mr. Hoyer 5 years ago to emphasize that Make It In America is a double win. Make It In America, and we will make it in America, and that is what this message has been. I want to thank my good friend from California for leading this effort. I just want to read what many of our constituents appreciate as being part of this Make It In America. The fair trade concept, taxes, energy, labor, education, research, and infrastructure, all of these are part, if they work fairly for the working man and woman. I highlighted The Wall Street Journal earlier this year, 2014 marked the best year for job growth in 15 years, with employers adding 2.95 million jobs, and the unemployment rate falling to a postrecession low of 5.6 percent. For the first time since the recession ended, payrolls are expected to grow. In all of America's cities and throughout the U.S., they are expected to add another 2.6 million jobs. Houston is ranked as a top city for STEM occupations, jobs requiring a degree in science, technology, engineering, and math. Of course, we are engaged in the energy sector, and for that, we need employees. All of my colleagues who believe in Make It In America collectively have put in place nearly 100 additional bills that have been introduced to focus on Make It In America. As well, all of us have focused on this concept of skills training. I introduced H.R. 73, the America RISING Act of 2015, which stands for Realizing the Informational Skills and Initiative of New Graduates, establishing a grant program for stipends to assist in the cost of compensation paid by employers to certain recent college graduates and provide funding for their further education in subjects relating to mathematics, science, engineering, and technology. What I want to say this evening is that this is a movement that should continue. I am very delighted that America recognizes that manufacturing is an economic engine. I want to make mention of the Houston Community College, that I have had a meeting with over the last week, to particularly focus on a new facility that we hope will be finalized that will have automotive technology at the highest level and manufacturing as part of its training. This is to help not only recent graduates or individuals in what we call early college, but it is to help adults to be retrained for important elements that will manufacture, something I want to see increased in Houston, and as well will have us at the highest levels of technology. It is no longer the auto mechanic; it is the automotive engineer, the person who knows how to deal with sophisticated electric cars, solar- driven cars, and others that make a difference in our lives. I want to thank the gentleman for having this very special Special Order, as he has done over the years and months, and to say that we are committed to passing legislation, building infrastructure, increasing our education and research, and particularly providing a new generation an opportunity for creating jobs and putting America, as it has been in the past, at the top in production; manufacturing; research; and, certainly, technology. I thank the gentleman. Thank you Congressman Garamendi for anchoring this Special Order and yielding me time to share with our colleagues legislation I have introduced that comports with the principles underlying our Make It In America agenda. Our Make it in America plan sets forth four central guiding posts: 1. We must adopt and pursue a well-developed national manufacturing strategy that begins right here in America. 2. We must promote the export of our manufacturing goods so that businesses can compete domestically and internationally. 3. We must also encourage businesses abroad to bring jobs and innovation back to the United States. 4. Lastly, and most importantly, we must train and educate a workforce that will secure the sustainability of this plan. As we continue this critical work of identifying and advancing effective policy change for our communities and collectively throughout the nation, it is important that we acknowledge the great progress we have made. I supported the 16 Make It In America bills that have been signed into law by our President. Additionally, as highlighted by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, 2014 marked the best year for job growth in 15 years, with employers adding 2.95 million jobs and the unemployment rate falling to a post-recession low of 5.6%. For the first time since the recession ended, payrolls are expected to grow in all of America's cities and employers throughout the U.S. are expected to add another 2.65 million jobs this year. Houston is ranked as a top city for STEM occupations, jobs requiring a degree in science, technology, engineering and math related subjects. Known as the ``Energy Capital of the World'', Houston has core strengths in the energy sector, import/export trade activity, medical advancements and a diverse population that supports innovative growth. However, Houston and other cities across the nation remain at risk of stalemating any progress we have made or are projected to make if we do continue to open up our job market and expand opportunities in all cities across the nation. As we look to the pillars and priorities of our plan, which aims to ensure that these jobs are permanent and sustainable throughout all sectors and populations of America, it is important to keep sight of the nearly 100 additional bills my colleagues and I have introduced calling for strategic action and fair enhancement of our economy as we continue to experience this growth. American businesses can only remain competitive when they have the trained and educated workers they need. This is why I have introduced legislation that will help strengthen our education and skills-training programs to make sure our workers are getting the preparation and certifications they need while also providing an opportunity to find and retain work once trained with those high-demand skills. H.R. 73, the ``America RISING Act of 2015'' which stands for Realizing the Informational Skills and Initiative of New Graduates, establishes a grant program for stipends to assist in the cost of compensation paid by employers to certain recent college graduates and provides funding for their further education in subjects relating to mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.