Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, the Affordable Care Act is already improving access to quality affordable health care for millions, including my constituents. In my home State, for example, Covered California is a shining example of how the Affordable Care Act, when implemented fully, will be a success. California's exchange is now enrolling thousands of Californians into health care coverage every day. Residents in my district, ranging from young adults, to seniors, to children with preexisting conditions and those who cannot afford health insurance, have been receiving critical protections and savings because of the Affordable Care Act. In fact, one constituent wrote me recently after receiving a letter from his insurance company. After looking at the plans offered through Covered California, he was able to find coverage that was both more affordable and better for him. He told me that he does not want to put insurance companies back in charge and pay higher premiums for less coverage. Every time Republicans vote to repeal or dismantle the Affordable Care Act, they make it perfectly clear that charging women more for being a woman is okay, that denying victims of domestic violence coverage is okay, and allowing insurance companies to increase premiums to increase profits is okay.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as most of us joined family and friends over Thanksgiving week last week, 2,500 Afghan elders voted on a security agreement that could potentially leave thousands of United States troops in Afghanistan for at least another decade. If the Afghan people are having a say in continued American troops in that country, at the very least this Congress should also debate and vote on any such agreement. The war in Afghanistan has just entered its 13th year, and the need to bring our troops home remains urgent. President Karzai has recently suggested that he sees no potential security benefit from an ongoing United States security mission. I couldn't agree more, and the American people have long understood that there is no military solution in Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, especially at a time now when rising income inequality and harmful sequester cuts are hurting families and communities here at home, we need to get our priorities in order and stop spending good money after bad in Afghanistan. We have known for years of the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in Afghanistan, including bags of cash from the CIA being handed over in suit cases and plastic bags to corrupt Afghan government officials. Enough is enough. We need to end the corruption and end this war.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank our leader, Nancy Pelosi, for her dedication and unwavering support to fight AIDS since arriving at the United States Congress 25 years ago. This morning, I had the honor of joining President Obama, Secretary Kerry, Secretary Sebelius, and many advocates at the White House to mark World AIDS Day. It was a time for remembering the friends and loved ones whom we have lost. It was a reminder of the extraordinary progress that we have made, but also a reminder that we cannot stop now. In the United States Congress, few issues have transcended partisan gridlock like the fight against AIDS. I want to also salute Chairman Ed Royce and our ranking member Eliot Engel for their unwavering commitment to keeping this a bipartisan issue. Thank you. In the last 2 weeks alone, we have passed the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act and the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act, which President Obama signed into law this afternoon. So many played a major role in the creation of PEPFAR and the Global Fund, and I am so proud of the leadership from the Congressional Black Caucus in supporting PEPFAR and the Minority AIDS Initiative and the National Strategy on HIV and AIDS. Now is the time to recommit ourselves to an AIDS-free generation.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the House. There is no question that it is long past time to fix our broken immigration system. Earlier this year the Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform after working with stakeholders to reach a balanced, albeit imperfect bill. Then last month, my colleagues in the House introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill that has gained the support of 190 bipartisan cosponsors. Unfortunately House Republican leadership continues to block the path forward. Their refusal to consider legislation that has strong bipartisan, bicameral support is in direct conflict with the will and the needs of the American people-and our constituents. There is growing unrest among the agricultural, business, and technology communities in addition to the advocacy organizations and faith groups. In my own district, there are heart-wrenching stories of parents who made the dangerous journey here just so they could make sure their children have a place to live and something to eat back home. They are separated not just by militarized borders, but by time-- years and decades of not being able to see one another. That is why it is so important that organizations like PICO and countless others are continuing to organize and rally to get this done. At this moment, faith leaders are joined together on the National Mall as part of the Fast4Families event. They are giving up their meals in order to emphasize the moral importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform. They follow in the footsteps of leaders like Cesar Chavez, who in 1968 led a 25-day fast for the rights of migrant workers. Today's community leaders are fighting to fix another broken system, one that affects more than 11 million people from all around the world. Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that in the 145 days since the Senate passed its immigration bill, House. Republican leaders have dedicated what little time we have to a government shutdown, 40 billion dollars in SNAP cuts, and the repeal of Obamacare. Republican leadership may not be tired of gridlock and dysfunction but the American people are. The nation is ready to pass comprehensive immigration reform and we must not delay any longer.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3350, the so called ``Keep Your Health Plan Act''. This bill is nothing more than the latest Republican effort to delay, defund, dismantle, or derail the Affordable Care Act. I remain committed to ensuring that my constituents in California and millions across the country have access to quality, affordable health care. Yet, the Republicans want nothing more than to capitalize on any opportunity to undermine the fundamental human right to healthcare. And that is what this latest attack is. While we must certainly address any challenges that arise in the roll out and implementation of the Affordable Care Act, we cannot undermine its effectiveness by passing this cynical bill. In fact, just today, I received an email from a constituent who said that his plan had been cancelled, but once he had a chance to view the options on Covered California--California's healthcare exchange--he found a better plan at a better price. Stories like this one are happening all over the country and are further proof that we must not do anything to undermine the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. My constituents depend on it, as do millions of Americans. I urge my colleagues to vote `no' on this bill.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of reauthorizing the Second Chance Act. I'd like to thank my dear friend and colleague Rep. Danny Davis for being such a vocal and tireless advocate on what is a critical issue for communities in my district and throughout the country. I'd also like to thank my colleague Jim Sensenbrenner for his work on this issue and for introducing, along with Congressman Davis, H.R. 3465 which would reauthorize this important law. The Second Chance Act, signed into law in 2008, has provided important resources and support to individuals re-entering their communities after being incarcerated. It has support from a broad coalition of organizations including from the civil rights, law enforcement, and behavioral health communities, in addition to many others. Since becoming law, the Second Chance Act has authorized nearly 600 grants that have been award to local governments and nonprofit organizations in 49 states. These grants have played a critical role in addressing recidivism and increasing public safety. In my own district in the city of Oakland, a program known as the Comprehensive Community Cross System Reentry Support or C\3\RS, brings together government and nonprofit partners to re-engage youth in school after leaving a juvenile detention center. This has been a tremendously successful program. Of the 592 program participants, 442 were reenrolled in school and of the 161 who received job training, 102 were placed in jobs. This is but one example of the hundreds of successful programs that have helped previously incarcerated individuals get back on their feet and on the right path. That is why it is so important that we move swiftly to reauthorize the Second Chance Act. I call on House Republican leadership to bring this measure to the floor for a vote and give our communities and previously incarcerated individuals the support they need.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and career of Bay Area community leader and tireless advocate for the underserved, Mr. Joseph Debro. Known throughout the Greater Oakland/Bay Area region as an innovative and dedicated mentor for minority businesses, Joseph Debro was also a stalwart community member. With his passing, we look to Mr. Debro's tremendous legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Debro attended and graduated from McClymonds High School in Oakland, California. He later enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley, where he was awarded an undergraduate and Master's Degree in bio-chemistry. Upon graduation, Mr. Debro put his extensive knowledge to work as research assistance at the University of California at San Francisco, and later when he was recruited by NASA as a bio-chemical engineer. In his own words, Mr. Debro was the son of former slaves, who had to ride in the back of the bus with his parents, drinking water from fountains designated for coloreds only, and picking cotton in fields owned by White people. And even though he saw some diminution of racism throughout his lifetime, he was always quick to point out glaring inequalities in our justice system that persists to this day. Mr. Debro tirelessly sought to raise awareness of the experiences African American contractors faced in their attempts to be recognized as viable businessmen in their industry. In the mid-1960's, Mr. Debro observed that Black contractors were excluded from urban redevelopment projects occurring in their own backyard. In his efforts to fight this disparity, Mr. Debro organized minority contractors and co-founded the National Association of Minority Contractors. Along these same lines, in 2009, he founded the Bay Area Black Builders, an organization composed of black construction workers and contractors fighting for economic justice. As a community activist, Mr. Debro fought for fair housing policies, lending practices, and employment in building trades, among other issues. Alongside Congressman Bennie Thompson, he helped build thousands of units of rural housing throughout the nation. As a contractor, Mr. Debro built and rehabilitated numerous structures, such as the Malonga Casquelord Arts Center in Oakland. And in keeping with his role as a guarding of the community, in 2012, he again challenged the Raiders football team in court to repay a $53.9 million loan to the City of Oakland and County of Alameda. Furthermore, Mr. Debro boasted an impressive history with local and state government. Throughout the years, he served as the Director for the State of California's office of Small Business, Director of the Oakland Small Business Center, Director of the Oakland Model Cities Program, and the Vice President of the Mayor's office of Economic Development in San Francisco. I had the honor to have known Joe since the early 1970s. He was a visionary, bold, and never wavered with his commitment to the African American community. He helped fund California Resources, which Elihu Harris and I organized, and provided a Washington presence for minority owned firms. I learned a lot from Joe and will always remember his friendship and his wise counsel. Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors a great friend of the Bay Area and a true champion for equity, Mr. Joseph Debro. His steadfast commitment to ensuring that minorities have access to a better quality of life will forever live on with the legacy of his vision. I offer my sincerest condolences to his many loved ones and to all of those whose lives he touched over the years. He will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall votes 588 and 589. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both amendments.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. I want to thank Ambassador Goosby for his tremendous leadership, who actually lives in my congressional district in northern California, and also Dr. Mark Dybul, who now leads the Global Fund, and so many more. PEPFAR has supported nearly 6 million people on lifesaving treatment, more than 11 million pregnant women who have received HIV testing and counseling, and 1 million babies born HIV-free this year. So this bill represents the real achievements that we can make when we put aside our differences and work together to achieve an AIDS-free generation.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank our ranking member for yielding, but also, let me just thank you so much for your tremendous leadership on this issue and on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and for your recognition and hard work in achieving and seeking to achieve an AIDS-free generation. I want to say it is a real pleasure to be with you today and to be back with you today, actually, with the committee that I served on for 8 years. So thank you, again, so much. Let me also thank the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Royce, for ensuring that PEPFAR continues as a bipartisan effort, and for your commitment to an AIDS-free generation. I just want to thank you for that leadership because, oftentimes, we wonder if there is bipartisanship in this body. Well, I think today, once again, we can cite that when it comes to saving lives, PEPFAR is a clear example of how we work together to do just that. And, of course, I must thank my cochair on the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida. I have to thank her for her work on HIV/AIDS initiatives, both international and domestic. I am very proud to have played a role in the creation of PEPFAR and am proud of the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus and our chair at that time, the gentlewoman from Texas, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. Even before the world knew about this program, Congresswoman Johnson knew the importance of Presidential leadership and put this on the Congressional Black Caucus' agenda during our very first meeting with President Bush. To quote from a 2002 letter to President Bush, the CBC called for an ``expanded U.S. initiative'' to respond to the greatest plague in recorded history. And then following that, in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union speech, he laid out what this important initiative should look like and made a serious commitment to this effort. So over the last decade, we have worked closely with the late Chairman Hyde, Chairman Lantos, as well as Senator Kerry, the late Senator Jesse Helms, Senator Bill Frist, Congressman Jim Leach, Congressman McDermott, Congresswoman Donna Christensen, Leader Pelosi, and so many others. And I share this because I think it is important that society recognize that the history of this has been bipartisan because we kept our eye on the prize. We knew that we wanted to save lives and we wanted to see an AIDS-free generation, and so many people, so many Members of this body, so many outside organizations, and our staff have worked so hard to get us to this point. So now, a decade later, I am especially proud, once again, to be a coauthor of the bill before us today. As I said, this is a bipartisan compromise, and in the end, I think we have a very good bill. We agreed on the need to protect funding for HIV treatment and programs for orphans and vulnerable children. We agreed on the need to preserve support and extend the expired 33 percent cap on United States contributions to the Global Fund. This cap is a proven tool for leveraging donor funding and is especially important as the United States prepares to host the Fourth Replenishment Conference for the Global Fund next month. Our bill also updates the annual report to better guide PEPFAR's transition toward greater country ownership while enhancing oversight. And I am especially pleased that we included reporting requirements on efforts to engage key stakeholders, including faith-based organizations and United States minority-serving institutions. I can tell you, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, PEPFAR has transitioned from--and this is very important. And I want to thank Ranking Member Engel and Chairman Royce for helping us realize the need to transition from an emergency response to a means of supporting country leadership in their work towards an AIDS-free generation. So this bill will fundamentally help continue to move our programs in that direction.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, many of our constituents are still recovering from the reckless Tea Party government shutdown. Now it is time to do our job and pass a budget, help grow the economy, and create jobs. Budgets are statements of our values and priorities as a Nation. Our top priority in passing a budget must be to end the harmful, across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. We must extend emergency unemployment compensation which millions of jobless workers and families rely on. This will end at the end of December if we don't do this. Although our economy has improved, there are still 4 million people in this country that have been unemployed for 6 months or more. These same individuals have already experienced reductions in their benefits due to sequestration and automatic SNAP--food stamp--cuts as of November 1. Tea Party Republicans have refused to create jobs, they have cut job training, and now they are ready to pull the plug on this vital lifeline. This is morally wrong and economically stupid. I urge the budget conferees to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program for at least an additional year and to repeal the sequester. We need a fair and balanced budget that reflects our values.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of Dr. Michael LeNoir as we celebrate over 40 years of his contributions to the medical field. Dr. LeNoir continues to be a celebrated physician, and we join together in praise of his remarkable contributions to the Bay Area, California, and our great nation. Dr. LeNoir is married to Denise Washington LeNoir and they have 4 daughters and 5 grandchildren. He attended the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and graduated in 1967. During his transitional year, he interned at the Los Angeles County and the University of Southern California Medical Center. He completed his pediatrics residency at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in 1970, and finished his fellowship in pediatric allergy and immunology in 1972 at the University of California at San Diego. Dr. LeNoir has been certified for 39 years in Allergy and Immunology from the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, and certified 40 years in Pediatrics from the American Board of Pediatrics. He has practiced clinical allergy and pediatrics in the Bay Area since 1977, and has been an active member of the National Medical Association(NMA) since 1975. Throughout his prolific career, Dr. LeNoir has served in a number of leadership roles including former board member of the American Association of Certified Allergists, former chair of the Underserved Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, past President of the Northern California Allergy Association, former Chair of the NMA Allergy and Asthma Section, and former Chair of the Clinical Faculty at the University of California, San Francisco when he served as an associate clinical professor. Dr. LeNoir has also earned myriad accolades, including the first Floyd Malveaux Award by the NMA Allergy and Asthma Section, the 2006 Community Physician of the Year Award by the Residents at Oakland Children's Hospital and Research Institute, the Lydia Smiley Award from the California School Nurses Association, as well as numerous awards highlighting his community service. Dr. LeNoir was named as one of the America's leading African American Allergists by Black Enterprise Magazine in 2001 and 2008. Since 2001, Dr. LeNoir has been named as one of the best 200 physicians by Oakland Magazine and San Francisco Magazine. From 1981 to 1993, Dr. LeNoir was the medical editor for KCBS Radio, hosting a 2 hour weekly talk show. He has been the CEO of the Ethnic Health America Network since 1985, and is the host and executive producer of the About Health Program, a talk show featured on Pacifica Radio stations, including Berkeley's KPFA. He has also served as president of the National Association of Physician Broadcasters. Currently, Dr. LeNoir is president of the Ethnic Health Institute at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Board Chair of the African American Wellness Project, and member of the Board of Directors at Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland. Earlier this summer, Dr. LeNoir was inaugurated as the 114th President of the NMA. The NMA is the largest and oldest national organization representing the interests of more than 32,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve. Under Dr. LeNoir's leadership, the NMA will continue its work to eliminate health disparities, improve the pipeline for African American students, and advance the quality of health among communities of color and disadvantaged populations. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Dr. LeNoir for many years. He is a brilliant and compassionate physician who has used his expertise and experience on behalf of his patients and the overall community. I am proud to call him a colleague and a friend. On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, Dr. Michael LeNoir, I salute you. Your 40 years of dedication to improving the health of our communities and leadership on medical advances have made an indelible mark in history. Thank you for your continued work and best wishes to you and your loved ones in the years to come.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition and the Safe Climate Caucus, I rise to call for urgent congressional action on climate change. We must follow the examples of my home State of California, Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. These leaders came together Monday and signed the Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy. The action plan will help them to collectively reduce carbon pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which will not only help the environment and public health but will also strengthen our economy. This is a small, but significant step to act on climate change. These leaders are taking these important steps because they know the consequences of inaction. They recognize that the effects of climate change cross borders freely. Republicans and Democrats should follow this good example of action, and our leadership should move forward to combat climate change. I, too, want to give my sympathy and my prayers with the loss of a great leader, Chairman Ike Skelton. And I know on behalf of my predecessor, my former boss, my colleague Congressman Skelton was a personal friend, and I know that he would want me to say today that he misses him. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. First, let me thank Congressman Al Green for that very humbling introduction, for your tremendous leadership, and for bringing us all together with, of course, Congressman Poe, and for really pulling together this Special Order in recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is so critical that we continue to raise the level of awareness in a bipartisan manner until we rid our country and the world of abuse and domestic violence. As someone who unfortunately understands domestic violence on a very personal level, a deeply personal level, I know how traumatic the experience is, and, yes, I know what the support system and how important the support system is needed to emerge as a survivor. I also know that domestic violence is not only physical, but it is also emotional. It is brutal. It is dehumanizing to the battered and the batterer, and without strong and enforceable criminal laws and services, one's life can be shattered and destroyed. I know this from personal experience. Also, as a psychiatric social worker by profession, battered women's syndrome will totally destroy a woman's life if we don't address the counseling and mental health services that will really help women rid themselves of the syndrome which comes as a result of a lifetime of abuse. As a member of the California Legislature, I was very proud to write California's Violence Against Women Act and many domestic violence bills that were actually signed into law, Congressman Green, by a Republican Governor, Governor Pete Wilson, and I continue to make this a priority in my congressional work. In my district, there are several agencies, such as A Safe Place, which is a victim-centered agency. Agencies such as this, they do wonderful work on a minimum budget on issues and services and housing related to and for victims of abuse; and we need to enhance and raise the level of funding because they do wonderful work, as I said, with minimal resources. We know that staying in a shelter or working with an advocate significantly improves the victim's quality of life. It is my hope that we use Domestic Violence Awareness Month to recommit ourselves to fighting the scourge of domestic violence against men and women. We have made accomplishments over the decades on this issue, including the passage of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and the Violence Against Women Act, which we fought hard to get reauthorized earlier this year under the bold and tremendous leadership of Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. These pieces of legislation have led to an increase of nearly 51 percent in domestic violence reporting by women and a 37 percent increase in reporting for men. This is truly a significant impact. Yet, sadly, challenges remain. Around the world, nearly one in three women have been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Here in the United States, as many as one in four American women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or a boyfriend at least once in their lives. In my home State of California, the statistics are even more staggering. According to the Women's Health Survey, approximately 40 percent of California women experience physical, intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Of these women, three out of four of them had children under the age of 18 at home. Children who see or experience domestic violence have a much greater chance to either become victims or perpetrators as adults. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit other crimes. Beyond the cost to children, domestic violence affects the economy with as many as half of domestic violence victims reporting the loss of a job due at least in part to domestic violence. In fact, domestic violence costs employers in the United States as much as $13 billion each year, and it costs our health care system upwards of $5.8 billion, including $4 billion in direct health care expenses. When we talk about the state of employment and the cost of health care, especially for women, the economic impacts of domestic violence and what we must do to eradicate it must be part of that conversation. We must prioritize investments in programs that domestic violence survivors rely on when escaping their abuser, including domestic violence programs and other programs of the safety net. When we fail to make the proper investments, women bear the consequences. Thousands of requests for domestic violence services go unmet. Thousands of calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline go unanswered. In times of economic downturn, the rates of domestic violence tend to increase. That is why this reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act was so very important. Not only were we able to increase outreach to victims on college campuses and expand protections for victims living on tribal lands, but for the first time, first time, we extended access to protections for immigrant and LGBT victims. So as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am going to continue to fight for robust funding at all levels, so that we can continue to provide victims with the services they need. With strong investments, we can address this crisis and end domestic violence, once and for all. Although we have made great progress, we cannot claim victory. October is a critical time to raise awareness of what continues to be a pervasive issue in our country. But we must remember that for women, children and men who are experiencing or who have experienced domestic violence, every day must be a day of awareness. So we must support all of the legislation and funding efforts that will indicate that finally, mind you, finally, we will not need Domestic Violence Awareness Month ever again because we have put an end to domestic violence. Thank you again, Mr. Green.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. First of all, let me thank you, Congressman Jeffries, for your tremendous leadership, for your vigilance, and for your dedication. Every week, you have brought forth these discussions to really inform and educate the public about the very important work of the Congressional Black Caucus, which, of course, is part of our work to strengthen our Nation with policies and a budget that will reignite the American Dream for all. So I just have to thank you for the time that you have put into this because this is so important, and your voice and leadership is tremendously needed at this moment in our history. Also, I just have to salute our phenomenal chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentlewoman from Ohio, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, for her very bold and her brilliant leadership, ensuring that the entire Congressional Black Caucus continues to be the conscience of the Congress. As a member of both the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee, I have seen firsthand the Tea Party Republican vision for our country's future, and believe you me, it is not a vision of shared prosperity or economic growth. This was reaffirmed earlier this month when the Tea Party Republicans held the government hostage in a failed attempt to take away health care from millions of Americans across the country. This week, as House and Senate conferees meet to develop a broader budget plan, I am pleased to join my CBC colleagues calling on Congress to adopt a fair and equitable budget, such as the budget the Congressional Black Caucus proposed earlier this year. And I, too, must thank the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Bobby Scott, for his stellar and dedicated leadership in leading the Congressional Black Caucus' task force in the development of this. It is a pro-growth, pro-people, and pro-American budget. Now we have already seen through the Republican Ryan budget, which was released earlier this year, what the Tea Party's priorities are. Their budget would shortchange 99 percent of the American people in order to give even more tax breaks to millionaires and to billionaires. It protects tax loopholes for special interests and Big Oil, and at a time when we need job creation the most, the Tea Party Republican budget would kill more than 2 million American jobs in 2014 alone. The Republican budget would take away food from hungry children and families, take thousands of children off of Head Start, and close the door to college for thousands of students next year. In fact, Mr. Speaker, two-thirds of all of the Tea Party Republican budget cuts target programs for people who are poor or low income. Communities of color, once again, would be hardest hit, communities that have already borne the brunt of the last economic recession. And all this is taking place as income inequality only continues to grow. The Tea Party's vision of America is very clear. Their budget would shred the safety net, shatter our economic recovery, and push millions of struggling families over the edge. Now, in stark contrast, the Congressional Black Caucus budget is a different way forward. This is a document that shows our Nation's priorities and values. A budget is a moral document. How we spend our money reflects our values, and the CBC budget spends money where we value it the most. It protects and enhances Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, better known as TANF, and all of our vital safety net programs that keep millions out of poverty. The CBC budget also protects all of our safety net programs, including SNAP. While protecting these and other important antipoverty programs, the CBC budget also makes sound investments in critical areas like infrastructure, education, innovation, and poverty reduction in order to create ladders of opportunity for all. Finally, we must ensure that the Pentagon will not be exempt from any budget deals. The Pentagon should be audited and their bloated spending kept in check. Billions and billions are spent and wasted every year, and the American people deserve to know where their taxpayer dollars are going. Not only will it bring accountability to the Defense Department, but those wasted funds could be used for programs like Head Start or Meals on Wheels. So, in closing, Mr. Speaker, let me remind all of my colleagues that a budget, once again, as I said earlier, is a moral document. How we spend our money reflects who we are as a Nation. We must recognize that the choices we make impact real people and especially the most vulnerable: people of color, women, and children. I hope that tonight in honor and in memory of our beloved, the late Congressman Major Owens, who worked so hard--and I had the privilege and honor to work with him and Congressman Scott each and every year for a fair and balanced budget. I hope that we will remember his legacy by recommitting ourselves to his values and his ideals by putting people first in every budget that we put forward.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hannah Kranzberg, who today is receiving the Guardian of Democracy award from the New Israel Fund for her longtime service to the global community promoting peace, justice, and social and economic equality. Before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area from her native New York in the 1970's, Hannah taught in an all-day neighborhood school program in Brooklyn as part of a broader effort to provide enrichment programs to children who lived in disadvantaged communities. Then, as an activist in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hannah continued her interest in making and supporting social documentaries that brought important issues to the attention of the public. As an artist, she was also one of three principal individuals who painted the People's Park mural in Berkeley in 1976, which is now a local landmark with major historic and cultural significance. In the last 40 years, Hannah's significant philanthropic work has left a lasting impact on our society. She has supported organizations that advocate everything from human rights and civil rights, economic and social justice, and conflict transformation in a local, national and global context. I am proud to call her my confidant, my supporter, but most importantly, my friend. As part of her long term efforts to advance women's equality locally and throughout the world, Hannah was a supporter of the San Francisco Women's Building, the first woman-owned and operated community center in the country, which advocates self-determination, gender equality and social justice. She has also supported the Global Fund for Women, a non-profit that provides grants to women-led organizations worldwide to enable women and girls to reach their potential, and to live free of discrimination and violence. In addition, she has been a founding contributor to the Urgent Action Fund for women's human rights, which provides rapid response grants to women human rights defenders throughout the world. The spectrum of Hannah's philanthropic work is wide-reaching. She contributed to the founding of La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, California. She is also an ongoing advocate of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, California, which offers nonviolence classes and civic engagement for youth from diverse racial and cultural communities. She has been a supporter of the Funding Exchange, the Berkeley Community Fund, the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment, the Rosenberg Fund for Children, the American Jewish World Service, Jewish Family & Children's Services of the East Bay, Equal Rights Advocates, the ACLU, The Center for Constitutional Rights, MALDEF, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the United Negro College Fund, the Freedom Archives, California Rural Legal Assistance, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, to name just a few. Beyond that, Hannah is a coalition builder. She serves on the Regional Board of the New Israel Fund, and as a longtime supporter of the Peace Development Fund, she has sought to bring together communities as well as oppressed and marginalized groups of people to enhance opportunities for movement building. Hannah continues to be a supporter of innovative community-based cultural institutions, including groundbreaking social documentaries, among them, the Oscar nominated ``Forever Activists: Stories from the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade,'' a documentary about seven American veterans of the Spanish Civil War, ``The Barber of Birmingham,'' a documentary about James Armstrong, one of the unsung heroes of the U.S. civil rights movement, and ``Discovering Dominga: A Survivor's Story,'' about the 1982 Guatemalan massacre of 200 villagers who opposed the construction of a dam sponsored by the World Bank. Therefore, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I salute you, Hannah Kranzberg. Your 40 years of committed activism for peace, justice, and equality, has made an indelible mark in our community, and you are truly worthy of being called a Guardian of Democracy.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank you and all of the cosponsors of this amendment for putting this forward. Mr. Chairman, this would actually delay the so-called ``environmental streamlining'' provisions in this bill, which would fast-track the critical review process and significantly limit public input. This amendment would also preserve the current review process that helps the Army Corps of Engineers foresee harmful environmental impacts before undertaking any project. This safe, sustainable infrastructure is not really produced by cutting corners. WRRDA projects have wide-ranging consequences. I have several projects in my district, and I know how complex they can be. It is important to fully understand the effects that these projects will have on public health, on public safety, and on the environment. History, quite frankly, has shown us that robust environmental reviews are good for the environment, the economy, public safety, and taxpayers. This bipartisan amendment would protect the environment and would really save taxpayer dollars. So I urge a ``yea'' vote, and I thank the gentleman for his tremendous leadership on this.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I rise in support of this bipartisan budget deal. By voting in favor of this bill tonight, we will finally shut down this awful government shutdown. While I am pleased that common sense and cooler heads have finally prevailed, make no mistake, this unnecessary shutdown has caused real pain for millions of innocent families. Never again should the American people be taken hostage to a political agenda. This is wholly unacceptable, and these tactics must be rejected once and for all. Now, I hope that tomorrow people can begin to put their lives back together, go back to work, and provide the government services that our veterans and our seniors and our children so deserve. While I am pleased that this deal will reopen the government and pay our bills, much more work needs to be done. The temporary spending level of $986 billion keeps sequester level cuts in place that are hurting our economy, children, seniors, workers, and communities across this Nation. So I hope that as we move forward, we will understand that we need to protect vital programs that make for a functioning government so everyone can have the opportunity to climb, strive, and reap the rewards and security of the American Dream.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. First let me thank you both, Congressman Jeffries and Congressman Horsford, for your tremendous leadership, your vigilance, and your diligence. We appreciate your conducting these Special Orders to make sure that the American people know the truth about what is taking place here in Washington, D.C. Also, I have to salute our chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentlelady from Ohio, Congresswoman Marsha Fudge, for her leadership and ensuring that the entire Congressional Black Caucus continues to be the conscience of the Congress. Here we are 14 days into the Tea Party Republican shutdown and 3 days away from the Tea Party Republican government default, which would be the first in American history. Since taking control of the House of Representatives 2 years ago, the Tea Party has governed by brinksmanship. First, they were unable to accomplish their goals of decimating the government through legislation, so they have resorted to the type of tactics that eventually led to the sequester and to the shutdown of the Federal Government. Now, the last time that the Republicans refused to lift the debt ceiling and relied on brinksmanship to get their way, a supercommittee was formed as a way to reach compromise--which of course didn't work and led to the sequester, which has caused devastating, across-the- board cuts to programs that the American people rely on, including 57,000 slots which were cut from Head Start already, and services such as Meals on Wheels that our seniors depend on for a nutritious diet. As a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee, I have joined Democrats in demanding an end to sequester and fought to restore the cuts to these vital programs. Yet even though we disagree with the funding level that these reckless cuts enacted--the sequester was a horrific action that we took, unfortunately. It has wreaked havoc on the lives of so many people. Even though we oppose that, we have agreed to vote for this budget, to reopen the government, and to put people back to work, and to provide the desperate services that people need. Then, of course, to add insult to injury, Republicans insisted on shutting down the government all because of an obsession with repealing and destroying the Affordable Care Act. Now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. It has been upheld by the Supreme Court, and Americans are finally enrolling in coverage that they have been waiting for for years just to gain access to affordable health care. In fact, in its first week, the Covered California exchange in my home State had nearly 1 million visits to its Web site; and Californians have begun filling out nearly 44,000 applications for coverage. The only thing that the Tea Party Republicans have accomplished with this shutdown is the loss of nearly $4 billion in economic activity and misery and pain for the American people. They continue to deny Federal workers, the National Park Service, lifesaving cancer research, pregnant women, mothers, young children, seniors and veterans who have risked their lives for the Nation; they have denied them a fully functioning government. It is a shame and disgrace. In my own county, funds for the Women, Infant and Children nutrition program and funds for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, these funds will run out at the end of the month. Now, the consequences of the default: Republicans have simply refused to listen to what the vast majority of Americans are saying, and now the Tea Party Republicans are willing to risk the Nation's credit rating and the world economy to achieve their goal. If the Tea Party refuses to raise the debt ceiling and forces a default on this Nation's debt--which, mind you, are bills that we have already agreed to pay-- every American household will feel the impact. Retirement savings will be lost; mortgages will be harder to get. The full faith and credit of the United States is nonnegotiable. We are not a deadbeat Nation and should pay our bills. It is time for the Tea Party Republicans to end the brinksmanship, open the government up, put people back to work, pay our bills, and let's begin to negotiate on a real budget that will ensure the American Dream for millions of Americans for whom this dream now, quite frankly, is turning into a nightmare.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, to open the government and go to conference on a budget so that we can end this Tea Party Republican government shutdown and put people back to work.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, but also for your tremendous leadership on this issue and on so many other issues. It is a pleasure to serve with you. You have really hit the ground running as a new Member of this great body. I also want to thank you for your work on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. As a fellow member of the Bay Area congressional delegation, you have made such an impact and your work is so important for our entire California delegation, so thank you. My district is California's 13th Congressional District, right next door to your congressional district. As you said, it is home to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Let me just say first how proud I am to represent one of the most esteemed centers for scientific research and technological advancement in the world. I have had many, many opportunities to visit the lab where I have met some of the most brilliant scientific minds on our planet. The employees, the scientists, all of those who work at the lab are phenomenal individuals, and it is just amazing to see how the scientists and engineers especially use our Federal investments in our national laboratory system to make unbelievable leaps in every field, from nanotechnology and supercomputing to energy efficiency and astrophysics. The history of the lab is unbelievable. It was established in 1931 by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ernest Orlando Lawrence. The lab has been associated with 13 Nobel Prizes. Fifty-seven of the lab's scientists are members of the National Academy of Sciences. Thirteen have won the National Medal of Science, our Nation's highest award for lifetime achievement in the field of science. Over the years, Berkeley Lab scientists have discovered 16 elements; made the world's smallest motor, 100,000 times smaller than a human hair; used ultraviolet technology to bring safe drinking water to thousands across the world; and helped decipher the human genome. I could go on and on, but we are not here today to laud the accomplishments of the national labs in our district, but I think it is very important to do that even in this very difficult environment. We are here because these institutions of innovation are under a real and immediate threat, thanks to the Republican shutdown of our government. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory employs over 4,200 scientists, support staff, and students in my congressional district. Its economic impact is even greater, creating 5,600 local jobs and 12,000 jobs nationally, with a total economic impact estimated at $1.6 billion a year. If this shutdown continues, the Berkeley Lab will be forced to furlough its employees in waves beginning in late October. Not only does the shutdown threaten the livelihood of my constituents, the scientists, the administrators, and the support staff that keep the lab running, it also threatens to stall projects that could be the next scientific breakthrough that changes how our world works or produces the next Nobel Peace Prize winner. So this is really an absurd price to pay for the Republican insistence on keeping people from receiving affordable, quality health care. That is where all of this started. For the life of me, I don't understand why my Republican Tea Party colleagues are continuing these cynical ploys that threaten our Nation's competitiveness and force our Nation's most brilliant minds out of their labs. We need to end this shutdown. We need to fund the entire energy and water bill, which provides funding for our national laboratories through the Department of Energy's Office of Science. We need an up-or-down vote on a clean budget bill to reopen this government. Democrats have already--and I know you have heard this over and over again, Mr. Swalwell, because you know we have already accepted a short- term budget bill to reopen our government even though we don't believe its funding level is nearly adequate. The American people deserve a functioning government, and they deserve affordable, quality health care. They deserve both. I hope more people are listening and more people understand that we know how to open the government. We know how to begin to negotiate on a real budget that makes our entire government, including our national laboratories, whole. And so hopefully this alarm that we are sounding tonight, Mr. Swalwell, will continue to wake up the country and continue to ensure that people know that we have their backs and that we know how to open this government and we want to shut down this shutdown immediately. Thank you again for your leadership.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Without SNAP, millions of families would fall into poverty while millions more Americans would suffer extreme hunger and our economy would create even fewer jobs. Let me remind you that millions of people on food stamps are working. Their wages are stagnant and low. Many make less than $8 an hour; yet they are working every day to feed their families. Paying billions in farm subsidies and cutting SNAP benefits for the most vulnerable is not a value that a majority of Americans embrace. Cutting SNAP benefits is not the American way.

Ms. LEE of California. Let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for his determination to eliminate hunger, not only in our own country, but throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, there are 46 million Americans living in poverty, 16 million of whom are children. Instead of focusing on serious ways to lift people out of poverty and into the middle class, Republicans have insisted on placing a larger burden on the backs of the poor and the most vulnerable, effectively kicking them while they are down. That is what the Republicans' farm bill nutrition title did when it was passed on September 19. It would have decimated the anti-poverty SNAP program and would have left hundreds of millions of veterans, children, seniors, and millions of working poor hungry and with nowhere to turn for a meal. SNAP has one of the lowest fraud rates amongst government programs. House Republicans were unsuccessful in their attempts to pass a farm bill this summer, so the Republican leadership doubled down on this immoral stance, surrendered the governing of the House down to the extreme Tea Party fringe of their party, and passed $40 billion in cuts, which means cutting 24 meals a month for a family of four. This would be in addition, I might add, to SNAP cuts already scheduled to go into effect on November 1. This means about $29 less per month for food for a family of three. These cuts to the SNAP program are really heartless. Let me tell you that I know from personal experience that the majority of people on food stamps wants a job that pays a living wage, and SNAP provides this bridge over troubled waters during very difficult times. In my own congressional district, for example, over 22,000 households would have been impacted in more than 1.6 million homes throughout California. In 2011, SNAP lifted 4.7 million Americans out of poverty, including 2.1 million children. In addition to feeding the Nation's hungry, SNAP is vital to our economy. For every $1 increase in SNAP benefits, we have received back in economic activity $1.70.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. It's also important to recognize, again, as an appropriator and as a member of the Budget Committee, I hear and see each and every day, whenever we're in committee, the tactics and the discussion with regard to cuts to Head Start and the women and children nutrition assistance program--all of those programs that just very recently the Republican Tea Party Members have started to say that they support. So let's see what happens. I hope that they do support this when we get to these budget negotiations. It's time that we shut down this shutdown. We need to reject this rule. Let's have an up-or-down vote to open up this government and let the chips fall where they may.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first of all, we all know that we're 8 days into this Tea Party Republican government shutdown with $2.4 billion in lost economic activity. This hostage-taking continues. The Tea Party Republicans continue to want to deny millions of Americans health care. That's why this shutdown continues, and the public knows this. Because of the devastating sequester, already more than 57,000 students have lost their Head Start spots. At the same time, the Tea Party Republicans insisted on cutting food stamps by $40 billion for these same children. So you can't tell me that today they care about these kids when they fight to cut Head Start and every other program for young people in the Appropriations Committee. The National Head Start Association doesn't buy this very sinister approach, which will not reopen the government. They know that there are enough votes to open the government up if Speaker Boehner brings the Senate budget bill to the floor. Also, let me just say many Democrats did not want the funding level of the Senate budget bill, but compromised just to get the government open. Let's shut down this shutdown.