Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson).

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kagen). (Mr. KAGEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the 10-year mark in this war, which is the longest war in U.S. history, we need to ask when is enough enough? How many of our brave men and women must be sacrificed in this never- ending war? How much blood, how much treasure do we have to spend in Afghanistan? And, also, we have to ask ourselves do we need another 10 years to figure it out. I suggest that we don't. It's time to change course. It's time for Congress to assert itself in our responsibilities, in our role. We control the purse strings, and enough is enough. We need to say today that we must begin to safely withdraw our young men and women from Afghanistan. No more funds for combat operations.

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Maryland, Congresswoman Donna Edwards.

Ms. LEE of California. Just for clarification, let me make sure that the opposition understands that this bill did not leave here as a military spending bill. It left here as a government-wide spending bill. It is very legitimate to deal with domestic issues because it was a disaster-relief bill. The military spending was actually added in the Senate. So what we are doing today is very credible, very legitimate. We want to begin to end this war, and we want to do it by stopping the funding. I yield 1 minute to Congressman Rohrabacher, the gentleman from California.

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California, Congresswoman Waters.

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California, Chairman George Miller. (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Chairman Obey for his incredible leadership on this supplemental. It was a very difficult job to put this together, but you have done a phenomenal job. Let me also thank the Chair of the Rules Committee, Congresswoman Slaughter, and Speaker Pelosi, for their leadership and for allowing this important discussion and amendment. Also I would like to applaud Congressman McGovern for his thoughtful and important amendment. He and Mr. Obey set forth this amendment that we will vote on today. I strongly support it and their efforts to get an exit strategy to end this war. My amendment is very straightforward. It would prevent any escalation or any ongoing combat operation in Afghanistan and limit the funding to the safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops and military contractors from Afghanistan. It is critical to understand that this amendment would provide for the safety of our troops, civilian personnel, and contractors while troop withdrawal takes place. It does not allow funding for ongoing combat operations or for this escalation. It is not a cut-and-run amendment. It would not leave our troops stranded in harm's way. Simply put, this amendment provides for the safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan, and we need it because the reality is that there is no military solution to Afghanistan. In fact, the occupation of Afghanistan is making us less safe. Our occupation is a prime recruiting tool for the insurgency and for al Qaeda. If we remember, nearly 9 years ago the reason the authorization was granted, which I could not support, was to provide authorization to go after al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Well, nearly a decade later, what are we doing there? We need to redefine this mission. We need to begin the safe, timely withdrawal of U.S. troops and military contractors, and we should do so by adopting this amendment today which stops this funding. A few months from now, the war from Afghanistan will enter, as I said, its tenth year. It is already the longest war in our Nation's history, longer than Vietnam and the Civil War, and there is really no end in sight. In fact, this concern of ``war without end'' again is why I opposed the resolution authorizing military force on September 14, 2001. It was a blank check then, and it remains a blank check now. I think it is important to take a moment and put the evolution of this war in context, because we have to remember that, again, there was no discussion about the potential consequences of invading Afghanistan. The debate we are having today should have happened 10 years ago. Few people imagined that we would have nearly 100,000 troops there a decade later, despite the fact that the CIA estimates that there may be only 50 to 100 al Qaeda in Afghanistan. So we have to be honest; the war is not working. The Afghan government is plagued by incompetence and corruption, The Afghan Security Forces are in shambles, and, tragically, just over 1,000 servicemen and -women have lost their lives. It is clear that our servicemen and -women have performed with incredible courage and commitment. They have done everything we have asked them to do. As the daughter of a 25-year military officer, my dad was a lieutenant colonel in the Army, I understand and know the sacrifices these families are making. But the truth is, they have been put in an impossible situation. The Afghan government is anything but a reliable partner, and conditions on the ground make winning over the Afghan people extremely difficult, if not nearly an impossible task. Sadly, this war has no end in sight. We are bound to see the generals come back to us and ask us for more money, more time, and more troops if they say it is going well. If it is not going well, I expect to see the generals come back and ask for more money, more time, and more troops. So regardless of the situation, unless Congress does something, and we have to face this, if Congress allows this, it will be an endless war. So enough is enough. The U.S. has no choice but to pursue and support a political and diplomatic solution in Afghanistan. We must be about that hard work now. So please join me in supporting the safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops. We can and we must responsibly bring them home and end this war now. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, it's really no secret that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a massive deficit that, if left to Republicans, will burden our children and grandchildren with the debt that Republicans created. The wars have cost over $1 trillion. And it's mind-boggling to hear that the minority leader wants senior citizens to pay for these wars. He wants to increase the Social Security retirement age to 70 for people who have at least 20 years until retirement, and wants actually to tie the cost of retirement to the Consumer Price Index--what an idea, boy, I tell you--instead of the wage inflation index. And he wants it only for those who need them. Several years ago, the Republicans, let me remind you, they wanted to privatize Social Security. Democrats said, ``no.'' Can you imagine what would have happened to seniors had their retirements been given to Wall Street given Wall Street's greed and given their irresponsibility? Their lives would be shattered. So Democrats will say ``no'' to Republican ideas to slash Social Security to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me thank Congresswoman Fudge for once again being on the mark in terms of the Special Order tonight. She has taken the leadership on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus to really bring the message of the Congressional Black Caucus to the country. Tonight, Congresswoman Fudge will be talking about the urgent need to enact regulatory reform of America's financial markets. So thank you for your leadership. I know your district is going to benefit tremendously from this. Oftentimes we forget that regulatory reform also has a direct impact on the huge foreclosure crisis that I know your district is facing. So thank you again for your leadership. Let me just thank, first of all, all Members who were on that Financial Services Committee for such a major effort to take this important step in protecting Americans from another financial crisis. While many provisions in the bill could be much stronger, I believe that H.R. 4713 is a critical step forward in bringing some reasonable regulations and oversight back to an out of control financial services sector. I actually was on the Banking Committee during much of the deregulation process and could not support it then. And unfortunately, what those of us on the committee saw happening and said would happen has happened. But now this important legislation will finally make our banks and financial services institutions much more transparent, put consumer rights before corporate profits, and allow shareholders more of a say on skyrocketing CEO pay packages. While I would have preferred a stand-alone Consumer Financial Protection Agency, this bill will create an independent agency that remains independent and puts consumers first. I am pleased that more transparency on CEO pay is included in these reforms. While I might have preferred some reasonable constraints, like my bill that would limit tax deductibility of executive pay, allowing shareholders to have a say on pay is a good step forward. I remain concerned that rules on risky derivatives trading, limits on proprietary trading by our biggest banks, and controls over the operations of ratings agencies may not be strong enough to prevent continued risk to our markets and taxpayers. I had hoped that more could be done to ensure that banks pay for their failures. But I know that we must pass these reforms and we must pass them now. So I hope that my colleagues across the aisle will join us in the effort to protect consumers, shareholders, and the open and honest functioning of the financial markets that are so critical to our continued prosperity. I hope that we have all come to understand how ridiculous it is to claim that the markets can regulate themselves, and that we can agree that the government has a critical role in ensuring that our financial services sector functions fairly, with transparency, and allows equal opportunity for all Americans. I look forward to working with the regulators as they begin to implement these new protections for investors and consumers. I hope that we can work together to make sure that we are never again, never again held hostage to out of control greed on Wall Street and regulators who really were asleep at the switch. Thank you again. Thank you, Congresswoman Fudge, for your leadership.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today in acknowledging the real and serious threat posed by a nuclear Iran to the United States, our allies in the Middle East, and the global nuclear nonproliferation regime that is vital to securing a safer and more prosperous world. I would also like to acknowledge the Obama Administration, which has rightly pursued and kept open a dual-track approach of concerted diplomatic engagement and pressure with Iran. The President's resolve proved successful in securing a coordinated and forceful international response, and I am pleased to see that this Conference agreement provides the Administration improved flexibility to ensure we do not undermine the very international partnerships that are necessary to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons capability. As this package of unilateral U.S. sanctions moves forward for the President's signature, let us not lose sight of our ultimate goal--a long-term diplomatic solution to bring Iran into compliance with international nonproliferation standards and commitments. Mr. Speaker, although I support this Conference agreement, I must reiterate my deeply held belief that sanctions should never be viewed as a checkmark on the path to war. I remain deeply concerned by counterproductive rhetoric with regard to Iran that echoes the drumbeat to war we heard in Iraq. The prospect of a military strike in Iran carries devastating and unacceptable consequences for United States foreign policy and security interests in the region that cannot be ignored. Further, I believe our words and resources are better served in support of the Iranian people, their resilient civil society and determination to seek the protection of basic human rights and meaningful democratic reform despite the intransigence of the ruling regime. We must closely scrutinize the implementation of these sanctions, which I believe could be better targeted, in order to avoid punishing the Iranian people at the expense of moderate voices and to the benefit of hardliner elements within Iran. With that in mind, I urge my colleagues to invest as much energy in support of a coordinated and cooperative diplomatic process in Iran as they have in finalizing these punitive measures aimed at bringing them to the table. It is this course of action that will be necessary to erase once and for all our fears of a nuclear-armed Iran and the destabilizing impact this might have in an already volatile region. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as a passionate advocate throughout my career for the cause of nuclear non-proliferation, I hope we can also take this opportunity to recognize and act upon our own commitments as a nuclear power to take meaningful steps toward nuclear disarmament and the realization of world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, today I missed rollcall vote No. 376 on H. Con. Res. 288, rollcall vote No. 377 on H. Res. 546, and rollcall vote No. 378 on H. Res. 1407. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on each of these rollcall votes.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1369, recognizing the significance of National Caribbean-American Heritage month. This resolution acknowledges the important contributions Caribbean-Americans have made to our nation's history and culture. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Towns, Ranking Member Issa, and the staff of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for helping to bring this bipartisan resolution to the floor today. I would also like to thank Congressman Davis for managing the floor and for graciously submitting my statement for the Record in my absence. I would also like to recognize my colleagues--Congresswoman Christensen, Congresswoman Clarke, Congresswoman Jackson Lee, Congresswoman Waters, Congressman Payne, and Congressman Burton--and others for their tremendous leadership on Caribbean issues. I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Claire Nelson and the Institute of Caribbean Studies--and all the other Caribbean-American organizations in Washington, my home state of California, and across the country that have worked and continue to work to make Caribbean- American Heritage Month a great success. As a long-time supporter of the Caribbean and a frequent visitor to the region, I was very proud to see us celebrate this important commemorative month for the fifth straight year. Since Congress unanimously passed H. Con. Res. 71 in February 2006, the President has issued a proclamation annually recognizing June as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This year, President Obama issued a proclamation on May 28. People of Caribbean heritage reside in every part of our country. Since before our nation's founding, millions of people have emigrated from the Caribbean to the United States. Throughout U.S. history we have been fortunate to benefit from countless individuals of Caribbean descent who have contributed to American government, politics, business, arts, education, and culture-- including one of my personal mentors, the Honorable Shirley Chisholm. Shirley Chisholm was a woman of Ba-jan and Guyanese descent, who never forgot her roots in the Caribbean. She was the first African American woman elected to Congress and the first woman to run for President. My political involvement began as a volunteer during her historic presidential campaign in 1972. Through her mentorship, she strengthened my interest in issues of importance to the African Diaspora both here in the U.S. and abroad. During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we recognize the important contributions of people like Shirley Chisholm, as well as Alexander Hamilton, Hazel Scott, Sidney Poitier, Wyclef Jean, Eric Holder, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, Roberto Clemente, Celia Cruz--and yes, Congresswomen Donna Christensen, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Yvette Clarke--and many other persons of Caribbean descent who have helped shape this country. Caribbean-American Heritage Month reminds us of the large and diverse constituencies of Caribbean-Americans in our nation, and provides us with an opportunity to send a message of good will to the community at home and abroad. Caribbean-American Heritage Month also provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and share in the rich culture of the Caribbean-American community through showcases of Caribbean art, festivals, concerts, and film. In my own district of Oakland, California, individuals and organizations celebrate the rich heritage of people of Caribbean descent through musical concerts and family picnics. In addition to presenting us with an occasion to celebrate the legacy of Caribbean-Americans, this month also provides us an opportunity to strengthen our long-term partnership with nations of the Caribbean Community. From trade, energy, and immigration to disaster preparedness, HIV/ AIDS and--as recent events in Jamaica have made clear--drug-related violence, we share a number of mutual policy interests with our Caribbean neighbors. These challenges are regional in nature, so we must confront them together and in partnership. One issue which I think deserves a special mention is the recent earthquake and resulting tragedy that has unfolded in Haiti. Like many of my CBC colleagues, I have followed Haiti's progress for some time now and have visited the country on multiple occasions. The American people, including Haitian Americans, have responded incredibly to the tragedy just off our shores--and along with the international community we have conducted one of the largest humanitarian responses in history. Once the cameras are gone and Haiti slips off the front pages and the 24-hour news cycle, it is up to us to ensure that the United States maintains its attention on the plights of the Haitian people. Last year, I introduced H.R. 417, the Next Steps for Haiti Act, to create a professional exchange program to assign U.S. professionals, particularly Haitian-Americans, in Haiti to provide technical assistance in fields critical to development. Such an initiative would tap into the vast energy and knowledge of the Haitian Diaspora to promote long-term capacity building. H.R. 417 is just one of a number of initiatives that the U.S. can establish to promote the reconstruction of the country. The recent tragedy in Haiti provides us, to use an oft-quoted phrase, with an opportunity to ``rebuild Haiti differently.'' I believe that in order to rebuild differently, in a manner that is sustainable and works to end--not promote--Haiti's dependence on foreign aid, we must promote ownership amongst the Haitian people. It is critical that any long-term reconstruction and development agenda is Haitian-led, that Haitian civil society and the Haitian Diaspora play a central role, and that such an agenda focuses on building the capacity of the Haitian Government to provide basic services and protect the social, civil, and political rights of its people. Only by empowering Haitians to rebuild their own lives and their own country will we truly ``rebuild differently.'' I would like to end by stating that although the Caribbean faces many challenges, we understand that we must face them together. Despite the often turbulent history between the United States and Caribbean countries, our ties cannot be pinned down to geography alone, or economics alone, or even history alone. The region continues to shape us as Americans as much as we here continue to shape the Caribbean. So I ask all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure to honor the Caribbean-American community, and to honor the rich gifts that they have given and continue to give this country. Let us continue to celebrate the rich diversity of this nation of immigrants and recognize that it will forever be the great blessing and strength of our country.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Yes, Congressman Garamendi, we did experience a devastating oil spill 3 years ago, and that's why many of us know from personal experience and from a history of trying to find a way to help our country become energy independent and end this addiction of oil. We have worked on this issue for many, many years. So I am very pleased that you've taken the lead in sponsoring a bill, which I am proud to cosponsor, H.R. 5213, which would really create a ban, mind you. We need more than moratorium. We need a ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling from platforms in Federal waters, particularly near California, Oregon, and Washington, which your bill addresses. I think what we have seen in the Gulf really explains why we're doing this, first of all, on the West Coast, but this needs to be done nationwide. The fact is, offshore drilling poses too great a risk to our coastal communities, economies, and our ecosytem. This has been made painfully clear by the recent British Petroleum oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Every day, we have seen more and more damage to our Gulf Coast, with really no end in sight. Over the course of weeks, estimates of the damages have risen from, I think it was $14 billion, now to $34 billion. Who knows how many billion this is going to end up being. As millions of gallons of oil flow into the Gulf each day, I can't imagine what this will be like in a few months, let alone in the years to come. Over 50,000 claims have been filed by small businesses for economic losses and thousands more workers have lost their jobs. Every day, new fishing areas are closed off, new coastline is contaminated, and more communities are affected. BP must be held accountable, and they must pay for this tragedy. The fragile ecosytem, which once sustained over 400 species of wildlife, are so ravaged that experts cannot even begin to assess the damage. However, they all agree on this--that the long- term health and environmental effects of this spill will plague the region for generations to come. We cannot continue to put our economy and our environment and the health of our children on the line. We must stop the drilling. Just a few decades ago, California experienced a similar spill. That oil spill was so toxic and ruinous that it led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the declaration of the first Earth day by the Santa Barbara City Council. We understand just how devastating these chemicals can be both to our Nation's ecosytem and to our economy. It's time we start making decisions for our future. This is a terrible, tragic wake-up call. We cannot continue to endanger our natural treasures or economic prosperity for a paltry reward in the form of a decade or so of oil and natural gas protection. The Deepwater Horizon explosion was really not an isolated incident. According to the Minerals Management Service, there were 38 blowouts, mind you--38--in the Gulf of Mexico between 1992 and 2006. Just yesterday, the CEO of ExxonMobil admitted that when spills happen, we are, ``not well-equipped to handle them.'' I don't know what they do with the billions of profits that they make. But if we aren't prepared, then we really shouldn't be drilling. Perhaps the greatest tragedy behind the BP oil spill disaster is that it really did not need to happen. Today, we have the power to learn from history and to chart a new path. In order to safeguard the natural beauty, wildlife, and ocean-based economies of California, Oregon, and Washington, Congressman Garamendi's bill really does set the standard. We've got to move forward with a permanent moratorium or permanent ban on offshore oil drilling in Federal waters off the West Coast. The environmental disaster that we're witnessing in the Gulf is a symptom of a much larger problem; that is our perilous dependency, as I said earlier, on, really, dirty fossil fuels. We must work to end that addiction today or really risk sacrificing our environment for the future. The best and most responsible way forward is one in which our coastlines remain free of offshore oil and gas drilling and our demand for fossil fuels is diminished through the use of renewable energy sources and the deployment of energy-efficient technologies. It's time to take a stand, and it's time to declare that enough is enough. We must be committed to a cleaner, greener future--and that future starts with putting and end to offshore drilling. I think the President is right on point. I think we need to move forward and support Congressman Garamendi's bill. And we need to really recognize that the horrific tragedy that we're seeing today is really a sign of what could happen tomorrow, and use this as a defining moment to regroup and to become clearer about our future in terms of our energy independence. Thank you, again, Congressman Garamendi, for your leadership.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. First, let me thank my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio, for anchoring tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order on the immediate benefits of health care reform. Also, let me just thank and salute Congresswoman Fudge for her consistency and her commitment to hold these Special Orders so that we can bring attention to some of the most pressing issues confronting our country that often don't really make the headlines. So I would especially like to thank Congresswoman Fudge for leading tonight's Special Order once again on the immediate benefits of health care reform and for continuing to keep our caucus focused on addressing the key issues facing our Nation. She has many, many of the same problems and issues in Ohio as I do in California, as all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus have, whether we come from rural districts or urban districts. I just want to thank you very much for your leadership and for once again sounding the alarm. As chair of the 42-member Congressional Black Caucus, I rise tonight to talk about the health care crisis in America and to inform the American people about our actions and agenda working with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, and what we're doing to make us a healthier and stronger Nation. Since Teddy Roosevelt almost a century ago, President after President has sought to deliver health care for the American people, but to no avail. This year, under the leadership of President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, the United States Congress took a major step toward delivering on the promise of health care for all Americans in a comprehensive and fiscally prudent way. This is a very important investment in the health and wellness of all Americans. For too long, quality and affordable health care, which I believe is a fundamental human right, was way out of reach for far too many Americans and was really the province of the wealthy or those who were fortunate enough to have a job that provided health care benefits. It was a very long and arduous struggle, but I am pleased that we continued to push to reform our health care system. It took clarity of purpose. It took moral authority. It took determination and commitment of President Obama, the brilliant and focused leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and the will of the majority of my colleagues in the House and the Senate, but most importantly, the will of the American people to make this a reality. Together, we fought against the insurance industry to say that we will no longer, no longer mind you, be held hostage to the denial of benefits for those who continue to pay their premiums. We won't be held hostage any longer to escalating health care costs. Just as Social Security was in the 1930s and with the passage of Medicare and, of course, the civil rights and the voting rights acts of the 1960s, the passage of health care reform is a defining moment of our era, and I am so pleased that this happened on our watch. As I cast my vote, I was thinking of all the people that I see in the emergency rooms and in the hospitals when I'm there with my 86-year-old mother or with my sister who has multiple sclerosis. They have health care, but I worry so much about the people that I see who don't have health care and who are just struggling to survive and who land in the emergency room because they don't have primary care. As I cast my vote, I was thinking of all of those who died, mind you, because they didn't have preventive care and they couldn't see a doctor and they died an early death. I was also thinking about my children and my grandchildren and future generations of Americans who will now live longer and will now live healthier lives because of the legislation we passed. I am so glad that this happened on our watch. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus worked tirelessly to ensure that this bill holds insurance companies accountable and included a number of cost-saving provisions. We were vocal advocates for provisions in the bill to combat health disparities, illnesses and diseases that disproportionately affect low-income and communities of color. This bill is a win for all Americans because it makes us a stronger and healthier Nation. It contains many immediate benefits that Americans will begin to realize before the end of this year. In fact, just last week, thousands of senior citizens trapped into the doughnut hole prescription drug coverage, they began receiving a one-time, tax- free check for $250. These checks will continue to be mailed over the next several months as seniors enter the coverage gap, with an estimated 4 million seniors receiving this relief. Beginning next year, seniors will get a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs if they are in this doughnut hole. Additionally, if you are between the ages of 55 and 64 and thinking of taking an early retirement over the next few years--and many in, I know, my age group are thinking about this--but if you're in that age group and if your employer provides extended coverage, we create a temporary insurance program to help protect your coverage and to reduce premiums for you and your employer. If you currently have private insurance, either purchased individually or through your employer, by September of this year all new plans will be prevented from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions, dropping your health care coverage if you get sick--I mean, this is mind-boggling to think that you pay your premiums for health care and then the insurance companies can drop it if you get sick. My God, just for that reason alone everyone should have voted for this bill. It will take the lifetime cap on the amount of coverage you can receive away. Also, in addition, new plans will also be required to cover preventive services so that you don't have to pay a copay, and the cost of the service will be exempt from consideration as part of your deductible. This is a big deal. It will set up an accountable and effective internal and external appeals process to allow you to challenge arbitrary decisions made by your health insurance company. I know my family, myself, my constituents, they get jerked around many, many times by insurance companies. They get put through so many changes. They have to jump through so many hoops just to find that their claims have been denied. Well, no more of that. The plans on the individual market, we also tightly regulate the use of annual coverage limits and then move to full prohibition of such limits by 2014. 2014 seems like a long time, but it's really not, and so the steps that we're taking between now and 2014 I think are going to immediately help those who need this type of help. Within one year of enactment, by next March, insurance companies will also have to ensure that they are spending at least 80 percent of the premiums that they collect from the individual market and 85 percent of premiums collected from large group market plans on actual health services. That would, for the first time, guarantee that insurance companies can't raise premiums just to provide huge salaries and bonuses to their CEOs. They actually need to ensure that they are being used to provide health care for people. Most people believe that that's what they're paying for, that's health care, not to provide these huge CEO salaries, and so finally we're going to begin to do the right thing. If you're a small business owner, let me just say, with less than 50 employees, you will never have any obligation under this bill. You won't be required to buy health coverage for your workers, and you won't pay a penalty if you don't provide health care coverage, regardless of what you heard during the debate. This is a fact. But if you do provide health care and if you are a small business, you will get a tax credit this year up to 35 percent of the cost of your share of the insurance premium. If you continue to provide health care to your employees, then by 2014 you will receive a tax credit of up to 50 percent of your premium contribution. Believe you me, as a former small business owner, I know how important this is. Requirements on businesses that are larger than 50 people do not kick in until 2014. That's plenty of time to get ready for this. That's when we will actually provide those subsidies to people that might not have coverage and when the national- and State-based health exchanges are officially launched. That's in 2014. Now, if you're uninsured right now as a young person and maybe you're just looking for a job or between jobs, and if you are younger than 26 years of age and if your parents have insurance, then you will be, of course, added to their insurance plan, and it's like your parents won't have to drop you from their plan until you are 26. If you are uninsured because you have a preexisting condition--and mind you, we learned during this debate that, unfortunately, victims of domestic violence--domestic violence was a preexisting condition. Can you believe that? Just being a woman had been a preexisting condition until now. That's shocking and pretty disgusting, really. So, once again, if you have a preexisting condition, nobody, mind you, no company will be able to deny you your benefits, but you don't qualify for Medicare. If you don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, then you will be eligible to buy into a temporary high-risk pool at the State level, which will price coverage at the average going rate in each State. These temporary high-risk pools will continue to offer coverage through 2014, until the subsidies and the exchanges kick in. So there are immediate benefits. By no means is this a perfect bill--or a perfect law. We're so accustomed to saying ``bill.'' This is a law, and we were working so hard on the legislation. Some people really think that it is hard to believe that this was signed into law, but this is a law now. No doubt it has flaws. Many of us would have preferred--me personally, I would have preferred a single-payer system. I think my constituents would have preferred a single-payer system or at least a strong public option which we're going to continue to pay for because we have to have some kind of a competitive program so that insurance companies can begin to bring their costs down. However, this bill offers virtually every important advance for health care that we could make at this point, making coverage more affordable and expanding access to much-needed services. This was a good bill. It is now a good law that will have real impact in the lives of millions of Americans. But it was a foundation. It was just the beginning, so we have to continue to fight and to make sure that any of the provisions that weren't included get included. I just have to say this in closing: This law does not discriminate between Republicans who don't have any insurance, Democrats who have no insurance or who pay too much for their insurance coverage, or tea party activists, Independents; it does not discriminate against anyone with any political affiliation. Whether your Member of Congress voted for this bill or not, you will benefit from this bill. Each and every American soon will learn that this is not a government takeover. It is not socialized medicine. And due to the hard work and commitment of Democrats, we will finally bring the United States of America into the column of industrialized nations, mind you, which provide affordable and accessible health care for all. This, my colleagues, I think is a remarkable step in the right direction. And so I have to just thank all of those who voted for the bill and thank President Obama for signing it into law. And I want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus, especially our Health Task Force, led by our physician, Congresswoman Dr. Donna Christensen, who really fought each and every day to make sure that we expanded community clinics, ensured that we begin to close these health disparities in communities of color, that our minority medical schools finally receive some equity in terms of the ability to train more minority medical professionals. So this was a big deal. It is going to kick in over the years up until 2014, but I think that the American people will see why this was well worth fighting for. Once again, it doesn't matter whether you're a Democrat or a Republican or a tea party activist or an Independent, or whomever, you will benefit from it whether your Member voted for it or not. Thank you again, Congresswoman Fudge, for your leadership. And thanks to the Congressional Black Caucus for being such strong advocates for health care reform.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sister Rosemarie Nassif, SSND, PhD, for her celebrated and successful 11-year tenure as Holy Names University President. On the occasion of her retirement, we recognize the quality and excellence of Sister Rosemarie's career and her talents as a dynamic and inspirational leader. During her time as president, Holy Names University has witnessed record-breaking enrollment, noted student diversity, expanded academic and sports programming, improved facilities, increased alumni participation and overall acclaim. Sister Rosemarie's religious calling came early in life, and at the age of 17, she entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame. During her early career back East, Sister Rosemarie gained a breadth of experience as Associate Professor of Notre Dame College, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Co-Vicar for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri. In Baltimore, she became President of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and later, President of the Fund for Educational Excellence before leaving that post to join Holy Names University on May 1, 1999. With a 140-year tradition of providing educational excellence in the Bay Area, Holy Names University, HNU, is a premier, private university founded by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and co- educational since 1971. Upon Sister Rosemarie's arrival, the university entered a period of ``refoundation,'' where she, along with faculty and leadership, assessed the university's strengths and the critical needs of their students for the 21st century. She described this process as making the best match between tradition and innovation, while stretching to meet any challenges at hand. With foresight, dedication and solid teamwork, Sister Rosemarie introduced a five-year strategic plan to the Board of Trustees, later accomplishing every goal she addressed. She led the institution in achieving the maximum 10-year accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, oversaw the highest and most diverse enrollment in the university's history and surpassed initial fundraising goals to raise $5.3 million in a successful $7 million campaign to transform the science facilities. She added four new athletic programs, completed a New Center for Social Justice and Civic Engagement, and made campus-wide technological advances, including student information and enrollment systems, a Technology Support Center for students and a state-of-the-art video conference studio for multi-state nursing programs. Additionally, HNU added five new baccalaureate majors, four new master's programs, returned to stable financial footing and completed The Campus Master Plan through 2012. Sister Rosemarie's accomplishments will leave an indelible mark on the HNU campus, but the legacy of her work represents so much more than tangible results. Her personal commitment to shaping a unique learning experience that explores and celebrates the beauty of differences has forever touched the lives of students, faculty, alumni, trustees and local community leaders. Her service has empowered countless women and men from underrepresented cultures and nations throughout the world to practice civic engagement, tolerance and critical thinking. And, as President Emerita Sr., she will continue to serve students through the Frieda Mary Nassif Scholarship award, named for her mother. On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this important milestone. Thank you, Sister Rosemarie Nassif, for all that you do. I wish you continued success in this next chapter of life.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4213, and I thank the gentleman for yielding but also for his deep commitment to create jobs. For months now the Congressional Black Caucus, which I am proud to chair, has been laser focused on turning this economic disaster inherited from the Bush administration around. Our focus has been jobs, jobs, jobs, and making sure that the chronically unemployed are included in our efforts. We have worked with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, House and Senate leadership, committee chairs, and our coalition partners to develop a legislative strategy to address the needs of millions of Americans who are struggling in this tough economic environment. I am proud to say that this bill provides $1 billion for summer youth jobs and an additional $2.5 billion to extend emergency funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Levin. I want to also thank Mr. Rangel and Obey and Miller and all of our leadership for working with us to include these provisions. This bill also extends unemployment insurance, which really is a lifeline for folks struggling to keep their heads above water, just plain surviving, mind you, in both Democratic and Republican districts. Our actions today will make a huge difference for millions of Americans and help put people to work and close off egregious tax loopholes that subsidize companies which ship American jobs overseas. And we will finally pay the debt owed by our government to Black farmers and Native Americans. But we still have a lot to do. We have to create direct jobs for people which will help turn the economy around and help tackle the deficit. I will cast my vote today for this lifeline on behalf of all of those individuals whose Members simply refuse to do so. I urge my colleagues to do the morally correct thing and vote ``yes.'' People want to work. This bill puts people back to work. It helps them survive until they find a job, and this is the patriotic thing to do.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentlelady from Maine for yielding and for her leadership. Mr. Speaker, I have long opposed additional funding to support the ongoing occupation of Iraq and a policy of open-ended war in Afghanistan that continues to undermine the economic and national security of the United States. Estimates for the direct and indirect costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now as high as a staggering $7 trillion. Unfortunately, the $726 billion authorized in this defense bill, including $159 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, continues an unsustainable rise in military-related expenditures that have nearly doubled since 2001 and which now account for nearly 60 percent of Federal discretionary spending. I want to thank the chairman for accepting en bloc my amendment to highlight and prioritize potential cost savings at the Department of Defense through reductions in waste, fraud, and abuse. Also, I want to thank the committee and Chairman Skelton for continuing the prohibition on the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for including language I offered calling for improvements in the budgeting of national security priorities to better reflect the needs of foreign engagement programs outside DOD. Efforts to reduce the United States military footprint abroad and wasteful spending at the Pentagon are small steps toward what needs to be done for a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy. In recognizing the economic challenges we face here at home, high rates of unemployment, crumbling schools and infrastructure, there is no denying that the long-term success and security of our Nation is at stake. Finally, I urge my colleagues to take this opportunity to begin to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. That has unfairly denied fundamental human rights to highly qualified individuals who wish to serve our country. I believe this country is ready to immediately end this inequitable policy. Setting this process into motion today is a historic step on behalf of all those who have been discriminated against. Discrimination is un-American. It's un-American. Now is the time to end it in the military.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, today the Congressional Black Caucus, which I chair, the Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, along with the Jobs Task Force conducted a forum with the Campaign for Community Change and the Lawyers Committee on Civil and Human Rights. We had a forum to discuss a comprehensive legislative strategy to create jobs, especially for the chronically unemployed. For example, the national unemployment rate is still way too high, over 9 percent. Yet, in the African American community it is over 16 percent. African American and Latino teens are unemployed at nearly 40 percent. It is critical that we pass H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act. This bill includes a summer youth jobs provision, which will put over 350,000 young people to work this summer. Our young people now are helping their families pay the rent and put food on the table. Also, summer youth jobs programs give them the essential jobs and life skills to be productive workers and employees. Under the Obama administration, we are beginning to see signs of hope in the economy, but we must do our part and invest in putting people back to work and pass H.R. 4213. This puts us on the right track.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. Let me begin my thanking my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio, Congresswoman Fudge, for anchoring once again tonight's Congressional Black Caucus' special hour. We are talking tonight about job creation and the economy. Every Monday the House of Representatives is in session, we hold Special Orders so that we can bring attention to some of the most pressing issues confronting our country that often really don't make headlines. And so I have to thank Congresswoman Fudge once again for her leadership and for leading these Special Orders, because this continues to keep our caucus and the entire country focused on the critical issues that sometimes do not receive the type of attention, really, that they should receive and, also, really puts forth what the agenda is of the Congressional Black Caucus. As chair of the CBC, I rise once again this evening sounding the alarm for the urgent and vital need to create jobs in America. We have to create jobs in our communities that have disproportionately suffered the brunt of this economic crisis and who, as a result, are in desperate need of targeted, concrete, and meaningful relief. For many months now, members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been and continue to be laser focused on stimulating the economy and creating jobs, particularly for the chronically unemployed. We have sought to engage the Obama administration, our House and Senate leadership, committee chairs, and our coalition partners to develop a legislative strategy to address the needs of millions of Americans who are struggling in this tough, economic environment. Last week we tried but this week I hope we will pass H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act. This includes funding for summer youth jobs and emergency assistance for needy families. These provisions will target resources to communities with the most urgent need for help. Over the past several months, we have worked to develop a job creation strategy that will address needs of the chronically unemployed, and one of our top priorities has been the creation of a summer youth jobs program for America's youth. The Congressional Black Caucus met with President Obama, and we raised the importance of the summer jobs program to address the huge unemployment rate among young people. We need this targeted assistance to help put our young people to work and to teach them an array of valuable job skills that they can use throughout their life but, even more importantly at this point, in many of our communities and in our districts, many of our young people have to help their families just survive. They have to help pay the rent and put food on the table. While the most recent job reports issued at the beginning of May show the overall teen unemployment rate dropping significantly, African American and Latino teens remain unemployed at significantly higher rates than their white peers. African American and Latino teens are unemployed at 37.3 percent and 29.2 percent respectively, compared to an overall national rate of 23.5 percent. These figures underscore the urgent need for this legislation and for the United States Senate to quickly follow. We know that these jobs and the jobs initiative provisions in these bills will help all young people. Due to this recession and due to parents being unemployed, again, our young people have a critical role to play now in terms of just the stability of their families. Studies have shown also that teenage joblessness has many long-term consequences. Young people who fail to find early jobs are more likely to be unemployed, are underemployed into their 20s and permanently, mind you, trapped at the margins of the economy. So I urge all of us to support H.R. 4213 and get this passed. This bill will also provide critical tax cuts and support for American workers through the end of this year. Some of the other provisions included in this legislation would provide tax relief to businesses and State and local governments to help them invest and to create jobs, provide important tax cuts to put money back into the pockets of working families, and help restore the flow of credit to enable small businesses to expand and hire new workers by extending small business loan programs. This bill also expands career training for Americans who are looking for work. It extends eligibility for the unemployed who need the unemployment insurance benefits, also COBRA, the health care tax credits, and other critical programs that families and communities depend on through these hard economic times. This, and sometimes I call it the survival package, which is what it is, helps families maintain and only maintain until they can get back on their feet and also until we can do more in terms of creating some real good paying and sustainable jobs. This bill also ensures that seniors and military servicemembers and Americans with disabilities continue to have access to doctors that they know and trust. Also, it closes tax loopholes for wealthy investment fund managers and foreign operations of multinational corporations. So we need to consider this bill quickly. We also need to look at Chairman Miller's bill, which is called the Local Jobs for America Act, because many of the provisions that the Congressional Black Caucus has been championing are included in that bill also. In the Miller bill we target funding to community-based organizations serving communities with poverty rates of 12 percent and-or unemployment rates that are 2 percent or more than the national average. We provide for on-the-job training for thousands seeking new skills for a new economy. In many of our districts throughout the country, even if we created jobs, our workforce may or may not have the requisite skills and may not have the preparation and the job training for those jobs because they have been undereducated, they have not had the type of resources, and have been chronically unemployed for many, many years. And so we need to have on-the-job training and workforce training as part of any comprehensive jobs package. Also in the Miller bill we target communities that are hit hardest by the recession, and we support programs that train, retrain, and hire teachers, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. So this bill that we are working on and talking about tonight, H.R. 4213, is building a foundation. It is an excellent first step, but we must move forward and have a comprehensive jobs bill to invest in people, invest in our workers, provide for worker training and retraining, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship programs, but also direct investment in job creation efforts. I want to thank once again my colleague from Ohio for sounding the alarm. Certainly in Ohio we have witnessed an economic downturn that is hard to imagine with the foreclosure crisis, the loss of jobs, outsourcing, the lack of health care. I know Ohio has really gone through some very difficult times. In my own State of California we are facing a huge budget deficit. People are being cut. Of course, unfortunately, the safety net is being cut. And so what we need to do here is provide Federal investment in job creation, because this ultimately will help us reduce our deficit, put people back to work, and allow American men and women and families to finally regroup and be part of the American dream.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. Let me begin my thanking my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio, Congresswoman Fudge, for anchoring once again tonight's Congressional Black Caucus' special hour. We are talking tonight about job creation and the economy. Every Monday the House of Representatives is in session, we hold Special Orders so that we can bring attention to some of the most pressing issues confronting our country that often really don't make headlines. And so I have to thank Congresswoman Fudge once again for her leadership and for leading these Special Orders, because this continues to keep our caucus and the entire country focused on the critical issues that sometimes do not receive the type of attention, really, that they should receive and, also, really puts forth what the agenda is of the Congressional Black Caucus. As chair of the CBC, I rise once again this evening sounding the alarm for the urgent and vital need to create jobs in America. We have to create jobs in our communities that have disproportionately suffered the brunt of this economic crisis and who, as a result, are in desperate need of targeted, concrete, and meaningful relief. For many months now, members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been and continue to be laser focused on stimulating the economy and creating jobs, particularly for the chronically unemployed. We have sought to engage the Obama administration, our House and Senate leadership, committee chairs, and our coalition partners to develop a legislative strategy to address the needs of millions of Americans who are struggling in this tough, economic environment. Last week we tried but this week I hope we will pass H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act. This includes funding for summer youth jobs and emergency assistance for needy families. These provisions will target resources to communities with the most urgent need for help. Over the past several months, we have worked to develop a job creation strategy that will address needs of the chronically unemployed, and one of our top priorities has been the creation of a summer youth jobs program for America's youth. The Congressional Black Caucus met with President Obama, and we raised the importance of the summer jobs program to address the huge unemployment rate among young people. We need this targeted assistance to help put our young people to work and to teach them an array of valuable job skills that they can use throughout their life but, even more importantly at this point, in many of our communities and in our districts, many of our young people have to help their families just survive. They have to help pay the rent and put food on the table. While the most recent job reports issued at the beginning of May show the overall teen unemployment rate dropping significantly, African American and Latino teens remain unemployed at significantly higher rates than their white peers. African American and Latino teens are unemployed at 37.3 percent and 29.2 percent respectively, compared to an overall national rate of 23.5 percent. These figures underscore the urgent need for this legislation and for the United States Senate to quickly follow. We know that these jobs and the jobs initiative provisions in these bills will help all young people. Due to this recession and due to parents being unemployed, again, our young people have a critical role to play now in terms of just the stability of their families. Studies have shown also that teenage joblessness has many long-term consequences. Young people who fail to find early jobs are more likely to be unemployed, are underemployed into their 20s and permanently, mind you, trapped at the margins of the economy. So I urge all of us to support H.R. 4213 and get this passed. This bill will also provide critical tax cuts and support for American workers through the end of this year. Some of the other provisions included in this legislation would provide tax relief to businesses and State and local governments to help them invest and to create jobs, provide important tax cuts to put money back into the pockets of working families, and help restore the flow of credit to enable small businesses to expand and hire new workers by extending small business loan programs. This bill also expands career training for Americans who are looking for work. It extends eligibility for the unemployed who need the unemployment insurance benefits, also COBRA, the health care tax credits, and other critical programs that families and communities depend on through these hard economic times. This, and sometimes I call it the survival package, which is what it is, helps families maintain and only maintain until they can get back on their feet and also until we can do more in terms of creating some real good paying and sustainable jobs. This bill also ensures that seniors and military servicemembers and Americans with disabilities continue to have access to doctors that they know and trust. Also, it closes tax loopholes for wealthy investment fund managers and foreign operations of multinational corporations. So we need to consider this bill quickly. We also need to look at Chairman Miller's bill, which is called the Local Jobs for America Act, because many of the provisions that the Congressional Black Caucus has been championing are included in that bill also. In the Miller bill we target funding to community-based organizations serving communities with poverty rates of 12 percent and-or unemployment rates that are 2 percent or more than the national average. We provide for on-the-job training for thousands seeking new skills for a new economy. In many of our districts throughout the country, even if we created jobs, our workforce may or may not have the requisite skills and may not have the preparation and the job training for those jobs because they have been undereducated, they have not had the type of resources, and have been chronically unemployed for many, many years. And so we need to have on-the-job training and workforce training as part of any comprehensive jobs package. Also in the Miller bill we target communities that are hit hardest by the recession, and we support programs that train, retrain, and hire teachers, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. So this bill that we are working on and talking about tonight, H.R. 4213, is building a foundation. It is an excellent first step, but we must move forward and have a comprehensive jobs bill to invest in people, invest in our workers, provide for worker training and retraining, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship programs, but also direct investment in job creation efforts. I want to thank once again my colleague from Ohio for sounding the alarm. Certainly in Ohio we have witnessed an economic downturn that is hard to imagine with the foreclosure crisis, the loss of jobs, outsourcing, the lack of health care. I know Ohio has really gone through some very difficult times. In my own State of California we are facing a huge budget deficit. People are being cut. Of course, unfortunately, the safety net is being cut. And so what we need to do here is provide Federal investment in job creation, because this ultimately will help us reduce our deficit, put people back to work, and allow American men and women and families to finally regroup and be part of the American dream.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, CBC, to offer our deepest condolences as we pay tribute to the extraordinary life of Mrs. Ivalita Jackson, beloved mother of our friend and CBC colleague, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and her brother, Michael. With Mrs. Jackson's passing on May 18, 2010, at the age of 84, we are reminded of her life's journey, the joyful legacy she inspired, and her bold commitment to selflessly care for others. Ivalita Jackson, affectionately known as ``Ivy,'' was born on January 15, 1926, in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd and Vannie Bennett. Mr. Bennett worked as a Pullman porter and Mrs. Bennett was both a homemaker and businesswoman. When Ivalita was 16, she and her sister Valerie moved to Queens, New York, to seek greater opportunities and to help their family back in Florida. The two set a course marked by self-reliance, strong work ethic and personal responsibility that continues to inspire their loved ones to this day. It was in New York that Ivalita began a life of service by seeking training in vocational nursing. And, she soon met the love of her life, New York native and comic book artist, Ezra Clyde Jackson, to whom she was married for 47 years. Known for her expertise in the care of infants and premature babies, Ivalita Jackson was one of the first African American nurses to work at the Salvation Army Booth Memorial Hospital (now the New York Hospital Queens) and was a pioneer for other African American women in her field. ``Jackie,'' as her colleagues called her, was loved and respected by patients and coworkers alike. Mrs. Jackson cared for others' children during the graveyard shift so that in the morning she could walk her own small children to school. Her role as a mother was one of the guiding principles in her life and she made every effort to be involved in her children's school activities. She also took great joy in her active leadership roles at Linden Seventh-day Adventist Church, where she was a dedicated charter member and part of the gospel choir. In addition, Mrs. Jackson made sure that her children were involved in church activities and instilled with a sense of spiritual and public service. A dedicated wife, sister, mother and grandmother, Mrs. Jackson was known by many as a true ``renaissance woman.'' She was a talented flower arranger, a wise mentor, a compassionate spirit and a woman who commanded an enormous amount of respect. With wit and wisdom, she reminded others to show love in spite of hardship and to love themselves so that they might love others that much more. Though preceded in death by her husband, Mrs. Jackson is survived by son, Mr. Michael Jackson, daughter, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, grandchildren, Jason Lee and Erika Lee, and a sister, Mrs. Vivian Smith. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus join family and friends in mourning the loss and celebrating the life of Mrs. Ivalita ``Ivy'' Jackson. On behalf of those whose lives she touched in magnificent ways, we honor and salute her. Ivalita was truly a great woman and she will be deeply missed. The contributions she made to others throughout her life are countless and precious. Our thoughts and prayers are with Congresswoman Jackson Lee, the entire family and Mrs. Jackson's extended group of loved ones and friends. May her soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I have always supported Israel's security and condemned unequivocally violence inflicted upon Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Recognizing the defensive nature of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, designed to guard against short-range rocket, missile, and mortar attacks which threaten the lives of innocent Israeli citizens, I voted yes on H.R. 5327. However, I must express my serious concerns regarding continued and increasing trends of militarization in the region. The soaring costs associated with an unending cycle of military buildup, both human and financial, cannot be ignored in the context of the suffering that continued tensions have inflicted upon Israeli and Palestinian civilians alike. All parties involved must redouble their efforts and resources dedicated to realizing a just and lasting peace between the Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world, including by refraining from gestures that would jeopardize the progress or viability of meaningful negotiations. Finally, Madam Speaker, I want to speak to the issue of the urgent need to realign our national security spending priorities--a realignment we must make within the context of both overall U.S. national security interests and in relation to our vital domestic requirements. We in the Congress must focus on the difficult choices associated with reducing our Nation's unsustainable military spending and on investments that will more effectively provide for our enduring security, and that of our allies. We must invest in our people, their education and our economy--always the backbone of our national security. As we scale back the military spending element of our national security investment, we must fill some of that vacuum with smart and highly leveraged investments in regional stability programs, including in the Middle East. Whatever the short-term and tactical defense merit of any one weapon system, such as is claimed for the Iron Dome antimissile defense system, it pales into insignificance when compared to successfully building regional economic development and confidence building.