Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. And let me just say, people will not have, under this bill, a right and responsibility to see a primary care doctor rather than have taxpayers pay for their primary care in emergency rooms if this Patients' Bill of Rights--or Patients' Rights Repeal Act were passed. I tell you, our seniors, now they have a right to have a reduction in their prescription drugs. This right would be repealed under this GOP Patient's Rights bill. This is downright outrageous. Health care finally is becoming a right. People in our country deserve health care. They deserve to have the benefits that our society has provided for so many years and helping achieve the American Dream. Finally, they will not have to go bankrupt due to high health care costs. Finally, yes, they will have a right to health care, which of course now the Tea Party is calling for the repeal, as it is called, the GOP Patients' Rights Repeal Act.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, recently, as many of my colleagues have remarked on the House floor, we reached the sad milestone of two thousand American soldiers having lost their lives in Afghanistan. Tomorrow we break for our July 4th recess, celebrating our nation's independence, but for too many American families missing a father, a son or a daughter, the fourth of July will be a day of absence. Mr. Speaker, we have a word for people who lose a spouse: ``Widower.'' We have a word also for the children left behind when parents die: ``Orphans.'' But we have no words for the parents of children who die. It is a tragedy when a parent outlives their child, and it is time to put an end to our children dying in Afghanistan. For the families of two thousand American soldiers, and equally important, for the Afghan families who have lost sons and daughters, we need to end this war and bring our soldiers home so that a political solution can be achieved.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank my colleagues in the Congressional Black, Hispanic, and Asian Pacific American Caucuses for coming to the floor to denounce the deeply partisan and divisive effort by congressional Republicans to hold Attorney General Holder in contempt. We need to be doing what the American people elected us to do, and that is to create jobs and to get our economy back on its feet. This contempt vote stands in stark contrast to our duties in Congress. We should be devoting our time to creating jobs, addressing our Nation's neglected infrastructure, and ensuring that student loan rates don't balloon starting next week. Too many hardworking American families are looking for their next paycheck, and yet this Tea Party-led Republican Congress is wasting precious legislative time and energy on a purely partisan effort to generate conflict where none exists. The Republicans' claims against Attorney General Holder defy belief. The simple fact is the Bush administration developed the inappropriate tactics, and once this Justice Department, under President Obama, learned about it, Attorney General Holder stopped the program--stopped it. So instead of handling our Nation's priorities, this Tea Party-led Republican Congress is choosing to stick its head in the sand, ignoring the wide range of documents and open cooperation provided by the Justice Department but now engage in a game of political theater with no regard for struggling families across America. The true motivation behind this contempt resolution is simple: As Leader Pelosi remarked last week, this is really about suppressing voter turnout. The National Rifle Association, unfortunately, has insisted that their supported Members of Congress vote for it or face political peril. Let me tell you, these Tea Party Republicans don't like it when their ideological efforts to prevent people from voting get blocked by the Justice Department doing its job--and that's defending the Constitution of the United States. They know they can't win in judicial courts and they cannot win in the court of public opinion, so instead they're doing all they can to undermine the Justice Department by dragging Attorney General Holder through the mud, making endless demands, changing the goal posts, and monopolizing his time so that they can continue their efforts to undermine the democratic process. And they're asking for information that would violate the law. Furthermore, this is unprecedented. The House has never voted to hold an Attorney General in contempt. Mr. Speaker, the American people are sick and tired of seeing these Tea Party Republicans pursue a senseless and destructive agenda. There's a reason that Congress has the lowest approval rating in history, and it has everything to do with efforts like this--a contempt vote that does nothing to improve the economy, does nothing to create jobs, and does nothing to strengthen our middle class or to help those trying to raise themselves out of poverty. We need to invest in transportation, in education, and in ensuring above all that jobs and jobs and more jobs are added to our economic recovery. We only have a matter of weeks before Congress effectively shuts down for the August recess, and we cannot waste any more time doing anything other than putting Americans back to work. Jobs should be our number one priority, our number two priority, and our number three priority. So I join my colleagues in the tri-caucuses calling for an end to this useless path of petty politics. Let us work during the remainder of time we have this congressional session to do the work that we were sent here to do. No more political witch hunts, no more political fishing expeditions, no more excuses. It's time to get back to work.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, first, let me thank our ranking member for yielding. But also, I want to thank yourself and our subcommittee chair and the entire staff for their tireless effort to bring this appropriations bill to the floor. I also want to say to the ranking member, Mr. Olver, that I will miss your thoughtfulness. I will miss your real clarity of purpose on all of the issues. I will miss your attention to detail and the bipartisan spirit that you bring to this Appropriations Committee. I just have to say I wish you the best, as you close this chapter of your life and begin the next chapter, but I'm going to miss you deeply--as we've heard tonight and we will hear until you begin this next chapter. So thank you again so much for your service. And most importantly, I just want to thank you for your friendship. Yes, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I really understand the constraints which we have been working under, but I cannot support the inadequate sub-allocation in this bill. Mr. Chairman, this bill does not meet the basic responsibilities that we have to the American people. It shortchanges key housing and transportation initiatives which would rebuild America and put construction workers back on the job. And in a time of great need, this bill does not include a single dollar for the TIGER grant program. Like many communities across the Nation, including in my home district, especially in my city of Oakland, California, we continue to struggle with high unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. Smart investments in infrastructure, such as TIGER grants, create jobs and fix our infrastructure. Tonight, Congresswoman Maxine Waters will offer an amendment to add $500 million in TIGER funding. I'm very proud to cosponsor this amendment. I appreciate Congresswoman Waters bringing this forward because this is a very important amendment for us to support. So I hope all Members will support that $500 million increase in TIGER funding. In addition to shortchanging our transportation needs, this bill fails to invest in our Nation's critical affordable housing stock. I know the chairman and Mr. Olver remember in committee I tried to begin the debate on increasing the project-based section 8 voucher program because landlords and developers and tenants are going to be shortchanged if we don't fix this. Hopefully, that amount will be increased in the Senate. Now, in the middle of a housing emergency, gutting support for affordable housing for our Nation's seniors, the disabled, families and children, that's just plain wrong. Republicans supported bailouts to Wall Street, but even the smallest programs to help families on Main Street like Choice Neighborhoods and Sustainable Communities, those initiatives are completely zeroed out. This bill fails to fund the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which Senator Sanders and myself initiated when we both were on the Banking Committee many years ago.

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. This bill, as I said a minute ago, this fails to fund the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund--very important initiative. Senator Sanders and myself, we initially put forth this idea when we were both on the Banking Committee. This was an excellent idea, it was an excellent bill, it was an excellent program which would build the desperately needed housing. It would create thousands of construction jobs, which would of course boost the entire economy. This bill that we're debating tonight does not fund that, and that is really too bad. The American people need Congress to invest in our Nation's infrastructure. We cannot build a strong and prosperous Nation if our roads and bridges are crumbling beneath our feet. We cannot build a strong economy if we leave millions of Americans in poverty at the risk of homelessness and struggling to find a good-paying job. So I urge Members to oppose this bill. But again, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for working on the subcommittee bill in the spirit of bipartisanship. But I think it just falls short for many of us to support.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional life of Mr. Stanley Howell Hall. ``Stan,'' as he liked to be called, was a trailblazing public servant who had the distinction of serving as one of the first African-American City Managers in the State of California. Known as a hard-working and talented colleague, a visionary consultant and a man of great faith, Mr. Hall has left an indelible mark on Bay Area communities. With his passing on May 31, 2012, we look to Stan Hall's public legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work. Born on June 11, 1946 to William and Hazel Hall, Stan was the sixth child of a family of eight children. He was named Outstanding Young Man of America twice by the U.S. Jr. Chamber of Commerce and was a high school honors graduate. Earning his bachelor's in History at San Francisco State University and a master's degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, Mr. Hall acquired a breadth of civic knowledge that he would use throughout his career. He settled in Richmond, California, working as the Administrative Assistant to the City Manager. Eight years later, he became the first African-American City Manager in Seaside, California. He did all of this by the young age of 32. In addition to career milestones serving as Director of Governmental Affairs for the Port of Oakland, as well as City Manager for both East Palo Alto and Hollister, California, Mr. Hall became a sought-after consultant. He founded the government advocacy and consulting business, American Service Associates, which aided local community development through expertise in transportation, parking and project management. Mr. Hall was also keenly committed to community leadership. Among his numerous accolades and associations, he was a three-term President and CEO of the Bay Area Urban League, as well as Principal Officer of West Coast Infrastructure for Amtrak. He had the distinction of being honored by the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC and received awards from the Harbon Publishing Co. and the Gillette Co. for Achievement in Business and Professional Excellence. His awards from Members of Congress, the State Assembly and the State Senate speak to the quality of his prolific career. And most recently, he was recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for Patriotic Service. Active in 100 Black Men of the Bay Area and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Mr. Hall was also a devoted church member. He served both Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in Richmond and Allen Temple Baptist Church, where he sang in the chorus and built a strong spiritual family. From his groundbreaking work in public service to his renowned work ethic, Mr. Hall never ceased to challenge himself. He was even an accomplished pianist. On a personal note, I will miss Stan's smiles, his words of encouragement and his support. Stan held a very successful event for me at his home recently and he was as happy as I to be with long-time friends. He proudly showed me through his cozy house and he was especially delighted to show me his backyard, with its beautiful fruit trees and grass. When I visited him in the hospital a few days before his passing, he smiled. In his own way, he communicated the depth of love for his friends and me--and I felt that he was at peace and ready to meet the Lord. I will miss him tremendously. Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual and a stalwart community leader, Mr. Stanley Howell Hall. He was a respected colleague, a beloved brother and a dear friend who will be deeply missed by an extended group of loved ones. I offer my sincerest condolences to Stan's surviving family and to the many friends and associates whose lives he touched over the course of his incredible life. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for your tremendous leadership on this issue. Of course I rise in strong opposition to the rule and also the bill. This so-called Domestic Jobs and Energy Act is yet another example of how the Tea Party-led House is wasting the American people's time by passing legislation that will never become law. This unconscionable wish list for Big Oil contains dangerous provisions that would irresponsibly expand drilling on public lands, roll back policies to provide for safe and responsible energy production in the United States, and it will endanger our public health by blocking important public health safeguards under the Clean Air Act. Gutting the Clean Air Act will not lower gas prices, but it will hurt the health of millions of Americans. Madam Speaker, we need a real jobs agenda, not another massive giveaway to Big Oil. We must pass the American Jobs Act, invest in our infrastructure, increase job training efforts, and strengthen our safety net. We should support the economy and create jobs by investing in the American people.

Ms. LEE of California. In conclusion, this Congress must ensure that our Nation's safety net is a bridge that is strong enough to deliver us all--even the most vulnerable--over these troubled waters. This giveaway to Big Oil will not do that. We need to protect the public health of the American people.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as the founder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise to continue talking about the crisis of poverty and the ongoing jobs emergency in America today. Tea Party Republicans are busy blaming the President for our struggling economy, and the fact that our economy only gained 69,000 jobs last month. I want to remind my Republican colleagues that it was their deregulation, failed economic policies, and two wars off-budget that had our Nation losing over a million jobs every month when President Obama came into office. We were losing over a half-million jobs every single month. Now they are complaining the Democrats have not been quick enough in cleaning up the Republicans' mess. The President and a Democratic Congress helped to stem that tide, and now despite every roadblock and Republican obstructionism, our economy is growing slowly and jobs are slowly coming back. So I don't understand how anyone can even try to blame the President's economic policies when they have refused to enact any of them. Republicans have refused to work with us and to help Americans refinance underwater homes, to help protect investors and consumers by implementing the sound regulations of the Dodd-Frank bill. Also, they refuse to pass the American Jobs Act, or any sort of jobs plan, quite frankly. In fact, Republicans have done everything possible to obstruct every proposal to create jobs at every turn. Even though 56 percent of Americans think jobs should be Congress' number one priority, Republicans have failed to pass even one significant jobs bill. Instead, they work to create another false panic about a so-called fiscal cliff if they aren't allowed to immediately extend hundreds of billions of dollars in tax giveaways to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. Mr. Speaker, there are only two real fiscal cliffs that I see. One is the fiscal cliff that will push our entire government over if they can make good on their threats and force our Nation into default and shut the government down. The second fiscal cliff is one that Republicans are pushing American families over the edge of when they cut off, mind you, cut off the emergency extension of critical unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are struggling to find a job. Republicans are telling struggling Americans that there is a fiscal cliff if you are out of work; they have to cut off your employment benefits. They are telling struggling Americans that there is a fiscal cliff if you are poor and hungry; they have to cut your food stamps. But somehow, if you are rich and a defense contractor, Republicans make it their business to protect you from facing any cliff or falling off of any cliff. This is not the path forward for our Nation. What we need to do right now is to stop pushing families off fiscal cliffs. We have to support the economy by investing in the American people. We need to get back to growing the middle class by lifting millions of Americans out of poverty. Mr. Speaker, we must pass the American Jobs Act, invest in our country's infrastructure and transportation needs, increase job training efforts, and strengthen our safety net. Safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and unemployment insurance just don't support struggling families, they support small businesses all across the country and in every single congressional district regardless of one's party. This Congress must ensure that our Nation's safety net is a bridge that is strong enough to deliver us all, even the most vulnerable, over these troubled waters. Americans are waiting. Democrats have been prepared to act, and Republicans must join us in creating jobs and reigniting the American Dream for all.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I was unable to speak during last week's floor debate on the FY13 Intelligence bill--the following is the statement I would have made before the amendment was adopted by voice vote: First, let me thank my esteemed colleague Congressman John Conyers for giving me the opportunity to speak on this important amendment. I would also like to recognize Congressman Keith Ellison who has been an outstanding leader on issues affecting the Middle East. Mr. Chair, first let me say unequivocally that we can all agree that we must work to prevent an Iran armed with nuclear weapons--which would never be acceptable. That is not what this amendment is about, this amendment is noncontroversial. This amendment is really just about common sense. It would simply require that the National Intelligence Director give Congress a report outlining their assessment of the consequences of launching a military strike against Iran. This amendment is necessary because, once again, we have saber rattling voices who are beating the war drum. If we have learned anything from the past ten years, it is that we have to be deliberate, be thoughtful, be careful, and know exactly what we are getting ourselves into before we launch another war in the Middle East. These decisions should not be taken lightly, and they must be based on sound reasoning, and the best information, and the best intelligence. We have a duty to our brave men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much during the past decade of war to have an informed debate about the consequences of military action. I urge you to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Hastings for his leadership and for yielding, and also to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for her relentless leadership on the Paycheck Fairness Act and also as the ranking member of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. I rise to support the Paycheck Fairness Act. It's totally unacceptable that in 2012 women continue to be blatantly discriminated against in the workplace in terms of equal pay for equal work. This is just downright wrong. It contributes to the economic insecurity of women, also of children and of men. In 2011, African American women earned 62 cents to every dollar earned by white males, and for Latinas, it was 62 cents per dollar. This discrimination against women of color and all women must end. Now it's been nearly 50 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, but at the rate we're going, if we continue to do nothing, women will not have pay equity until the year 2056. So we need a comprehensive solution to this historical and systemic discriminatory practice, and that is what Congresswoman DeLauro has introduced. So I urge consideration and passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Women deserve economic justice.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I just want to conclude by saying, now the VA is saying that they will reduce this backlog and improve accuracy by 2015, but waiting 3 more years is really quite unacceptable. Veterans in my district and throughout the country cannot wait any longer, Madam Chair. These veterans served our country when we needed them, and it's our responsibility as a Nation to be there when they need us. So I want to thank you again for inserting this language into the bill, and hopefully this will be the beginning of some justice for these veterans who deserve it.

Ms. LEE of California. First let me thank you, Congressman Bishop, for yielding time, and also for your very thoughtful and steady leadership as our ranking member on this Appropriations Subcommittee. We appreciate your leadership. Also, I want to thank the chairman and, again, our ranking member for your bipartisan efforts, and also for including language in this bill which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress detailed plans to eliminate the backlog and improve the accuracy of the claims process within 6 months. I introduced this language because, first, I just have to say, as the daughter of a military veteran, I know firsthand the sacrifices and the commitment involved with military service. But let me say this: It is just totally unacceptable and shameful to force the very people who put their lives on the line to wait months--and, in some cases, years--to receive the benefits that they have earned. Last week, I joined with my colleague, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and over 200 veterans at an event to address the backlog at the Oakland Veterans Affairs regional office. We listened to the veterans as they came up to speak one by one with a story and a struggle. The pain and suffering of these veterans, it was overwhelming. I wish, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, you could have been there to listen to this testimony. Hopefully, we'll be able to share some of that with you and with the subcommittee because this language that we put in really will address many of the issues that were raised. For example, I heard one of my constituents say that he waited 6 months just for the paperwork and spent another 2 years waiting for the Oakland Veterans Affairs office to consider his request to upgrade his disability rating for posttraumatic stress. This young man sacrificed a great deal going overseas to fight for our country, and yet now he has been asked to put his life on hold--really, just on hold--until his claim is processed. There are thousands of other stories just like his where veterans are waiting an average of 320 days to see some relief.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, first, let me thank my esteemed colleague Congressman John Conyers for giving me the opportunity to speak on this important amendment. I would also like to recognize Congressman Keith Ellison who has been an outstanding leader on issues affecting the Middle East. Mr. Chair, first let me say unequivocally that we can all agree that we must work to prevent an Iran armed with nuclear weapons--which would never be unacceptable. That is not what this amendment is about, this amendment is noncontroversial. This amendment is really just about common sense. It would simply require that the National Intelligence Director give Congress a report outlining their assessment of the consequences of launching a military strike against Iran. This amendment is necessary because, once again we hear very loudly the drum beat of war. If we have learned anything from the past ten years, it is that we have to be deliberate, be thoughtful, be careful, and know exactly what we are getting ourselves into before we launch another war in the Middle East. These decisions should not be taken lightly, and they must be based on sound reasoning, and the best information, and the best intelligence. We have a duty to our brave men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much during the past decade of war to have an informed debate about the consequences of military action. I urge you to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Congresswomen DeGette and Slaughter, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and our colleagues for standing up for women's health today. As a Member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and Health Care Task Force Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3541. This bill would do nothing more than lead to the further stigmatization of women--especially Asian-Pacific American women--who seek to exercise their constitutional rights to an abortion. It is clear that Republicans are not serious about addressing the very real issues of gender discrimination that persist in this country. Supporters of this bill are exploiting serious issues like racism and sexism to forward their goal of making all abortion illegal. And we already know that attempts to restrict or deny access to safe abortions is harmful to women's health and would ultimately take us back to the days of back alley abortions. If this bill passes it would forever change the doctor-patient relationship as we know it, by casting suspicion on doctors that serve communities facing the greatest health disparities--many of which are minority communities. And this is why the bill is opposed by some 100 organizations, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Public Health Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. If supporters are serious about advancing the real interests of women, I urge them to vote no on this bill.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as the cofounder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to continue talking about the crisis of rising poverty devastating families in every single congressional district all across our country. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to recognize Linda Lee and Geraldine Matthew. These two extraordinary women are among a group of farmworkers who spent their lives working in the swampy fields bordering Lake Apopka in Florida. Their backbreaking work helped to provide the bulk of the winter season produce on the eastern seaboard. In the early 1990s, a settlement was negotiated with the large farming corporations where 20,000 acres of land were sold for roughly $100 million. A negligible amount of 200,000 was allocated for the 2,500 farmworkers, and most were simply given pink slips, despite decades of service on the farm. For years, these workers were exposed to a chemical mixture of carcinogens and other contaminants as planes crop-dusted the fields. Now these workers are suffering from an array of diseases that have been linked to long-term pesticide exposure. Their children suffer from defects cause by prenatal exposure to harmful contaminants. These women have worked for over a decade to bring attention to their cause, while many of their former colleagues, unfortunately, have passed away. Although these women are desperately seeking some relief and good health, what they ask for more than anything else is their dignity. Dignity is the contribution of their community to feeding this Nation and the sacrifices they made in doing so. I would, therefore, offer my profound and earnest gratitude to these incredible women, to their community, and to farmworkers across the country, for theirs truly are the hands that feed us. Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, we need to redouble our efforts to reward hard work. We must work to be sure that Americans who work all of their lives have something to show for it. This does not just affect Linda Lee or Geraldine Matthew. We cannot ignore the fact that millions of Americans have seen their retirement savings decimated, their pensions shortchanged, and their wages stagnant or falling. Even in the face of a rising tide of poverty and an economy with high unemployment, the Tea Party-led Republicans continue their efforts to slash programs which protect the health and well-being of millions of low-income and working poor families. In the coming weeks and months, we will begin to see the impact of the, quite frankly, immoral cuts to vital unemployment benefit extensions as thousands of people, thousands of people across our country who are struggling to find a job will be thrown off of unemployment benefits, thrown off, kicked off the rolls. Some of them may be lucky enough to find work, but far too many will be suddenly cut off with nearly nothing, nothing to keep them from falling behind into poverty. They will have been left out and left behind. We may disagree on how to help families in need and workers who are struggling find work access needed health services or feed their children, but we can all agree that leaving struggling families completely cut off of unemployment insurance with nowhere to turn for help is not the American way. When Republican politicians protect tax cuts for millionaires, we must be very adamant about protecting the working poor. When Tea Party Republicans fight to protect tax writeoffs for corporations and Big Oil, we must fight to protect hardworking Americans. When Republican Tea Party members continued to expend their energy protecting the dividend gains on investments, we must fight to protect Linda Lee and Geraldine Matthew, women who have worked their entire lives and are left with nothing to show for it. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately there are some who continue to support policies for the 1 percent where profits, rather than people, matter. We need a jobs bill for those who are desperately in need of a job, and we need to help with their support for themselves and their families. So we do need a strong safety net to act as a bridge over these troubled economic times. It's critical to reaffirm that the needs and the aspirations of the poor and the working poor are really important and critical for us to address where they too are aspiring to be part of the middle class. I want to thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for her support because I know she cares about Linda Lee and Geraldine Matthew and all of the issues that she continues to fight for.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I just want to conclude by saying if you really care about women and their children and their families, we need to work to end wage discrimination in this country. We need to work to end domestic violence that's tearing apart families across this country and reauthorize a real Violence Against Women's Act. We need to reject this insidious attack on Roe v. Wade.

Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentleman. If this bill passes, it would forever change the doctor-patient relationship as we know it by casting suspicion on doctors that serve communities facing the greatest health disparities, many of which are minority communities. As a woman of faith, I have always believed that decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child must be left to a woman, her family, and her faith, with the counsel of her doctor or health professional. Politics--government--has no place preventing doctors and other health professionals from informing patients about all their health care options, and doctors should not be criminalized for providing constitutionally protected care. If supporters are really serious about advancing the real interest of women, I urge them to vote ``no'' on this bill. We need to work together to ensure that all women have meaningful access to the health care that they need to stay healthy and to improve their own lives and their children's lives. We need to make sure that women get equal pay for equal jobs.

Ms. LEE of California. First, let me thank Congressman Conyers for yielding the time, but also for your very bold and relentless leadership as our ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee. I rise today as a member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and also as the Health Care Task Force chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. I rise in strong opposition to this bill. Supporters of this bill claim that the legislation would combat sex- selection abortion and prevent the United States from becoming a safe haven for women seeking an abortion based on the sex of the pregnancy. Here we go again. This war on women continues. And this, quite frankly, is a shocking battle in this war. It really is shock and awe. Don't get me wrong. Of course we all are opposed to sex-selection abortion based on gender. That's not what this is about. This is about women's health care and gender discrimination. Let me read a paragraph from a letter signed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other groups: If passed into law, this bill would require that medical and mental health professionals violate doctor-patient confidentiality and report known or suspected violations of the law to law enforcement authorities. The penalty for failure to report is a fine or incarceration of up to 1 year. Shock and awe. This is a continuation of the war on women. There are those who have been actively working to reverse much of the progress women have made by declaring this war on women that includes stripping reproductive rights for women and cutting critical Title X funding and for the WIC nutrition program for low-income infants and pregnant women. And yes, this war on women continues with slashed funding for food stamps and day care spending. Let's call it what it is, Mr. Speaker. Supporters of this bill really are exploiting serious issues like racism and sexism in a backdoor attempt to make abortion illegal. It would also lead to further stigmatization of women, especially Asian Pacific American women, who seek their constitutional rights to an abortion. The ramifications are real, and they are very dangerous. Attempts to restrict or deny access to safe abortions is harmful to women's health and would ultimately take us back to the days of back-alley abortions.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I recently voted ``no'' on House Resolution 568. I have made it clear that an Iran armed with nuclear weapons is unacceptable. My legislation, H.R. 4173, presents a viable approach to achieving a nuclear-arms free Iran by pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. I am deeply concerned about Iran threatening its neighbors, Israel in particular. I have always strongly supported Israel's security and rights as a nation, and will continue to vote in favor of measures which will enhance the prospects for a peaceful Middle East. This resolution, however, does not advance that goal. First, the focus on nuclear weapons ``capability'' suggests a lowered red-line threshold, which could make a U.S. strike much more likely. While this term has been used in varying contexts in recent years, it is a vague term that can potentially create openings for those seeking military conflict with Iran. Further, Clause 2(A) would put Congress on record opposing any diplomatic agreement regarding Iran's nuclear program that allows Iran to enrich any uranium whatsoever, even for peaceful, civilian energy purposes subject to intense international monitoring and safeguards. This provision constitutes a poison pill that would pre-emptively kill any diplomatic solution to the crisis, because there is no feasible agreement that can be achieved with Iran in which it would give up its right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. Finally, Clause 6 would ``reject any U.S. policy that would rely on efforts to contain a nuclear weapons capable Iran'' and ``oppose any policy that would rely on containment as an option in response to the Iranian nuclear threat.'' This clause is unhelpful and unnecessary as no policymaker is suggesting a containment strategy. As the sole Member of Congress to vote against the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, I am wary of legislation that could put our men and women in uniform in harm's way due to a lack of deliberation before entering a war. This legislation did not reduce the prospects for war with Iran, nor did it advance it's stated purpose of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The above mentioned clauses therefore ignore and undermine the prospects for a diplomatic solution. Because of these flawed provisions, I voted against H. Res. 568.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. LEE of California. I yield myself 30 seconds and respond to the gentleman from Florida and just say this amendment--I think he's probably not reading the amendment that I have offered. What this amendment does is restrict our funding for the purpose of the safe and the orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan of all members of the Armed Forces and the Department of Defense. It is not a cut-and-run amendment. This is a force protection amendment. It would bring our young men and women out of harm's way and it would provide the resources to move forward to help stabilize the region. I'd like now to yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa).

Ms. LEE of California. Let me just first say that I appreciate this 20-minute debate, but we should have a couple of days to be able to have a full debate on why we need to, one, protect our troops and provide for their safe and orderly withdrawal. The American people are war weary. We need to reunite our brave men and women in uniform with their families at home. We should transfer the billions of dollars that we're spending on war to creating jobs here at home. We should ensure that our troops are provided with the resources that they deserve and they need during this withdrawal. We're asking for a safe and orderly withdrawal. We're saying our young men and women have fought; they've done everything we've asked them to do. We think that now, as the American people are saying, the combat mission, the fighting should end, and we should begin by protecting our troops and contractors; and we should begin to end the longest war in American history. It's time to end the war in Afghanistan. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.