Alan Lowenthal

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, the lodge at Smith Gulch is located within the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in the State of Idaho. It is a popular destination for visitors and offers recreational opportunities for people in a spectacular natural setting. H.R. 4283 will allow the lodge owners to carry out very specific maintenance activities necessary to keep the lodge operating. I support this legislation. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LOWENTHAL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, this bill would provide an exemption to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the MBTA, for the sale of Alaskan Native handicrafts that seems consistent with exemptions provided to Alaska Natives in other important conservation laws, like the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. However, the MBTA is distinct from these other laws because it actually implements four separate treaties between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia; and it remains unclear if amending the MBTA, as proposed by Mr. Young's bill, would violate our treaty obligations to the other implementing nations. During our legislative hearing on this bill, the committee heard testimony from the Fish and Wildlife Service that the State Department should be consulted on any proposed amendments to the MBTA. However, we have not heard from the Fish and Wildlife Service or the State Department since that time. I support the rights of Alaskan Natives to create and sell traditional handicrafts. So while I feel it is important that we consider the impact that this bill may have on other existing treaty obligations, I will support this bill. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LOWENTHAL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, this is just my first term, but during my time here I have seen some truly low moments. But this is the saddest day so far. We just voted to send children back to unspeakable violence, and now we are considering deporting young people brought to this country through no fault of their own. It reminded me of the words of Pastor Martin Niemoller. Words that I have hanging in my office: First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me. I ask you Mr. Speaker--who will speak for the unaccompanied children, for the Dreamers, if not us?

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I sit on the Natural Resources Committee here in the House, and through our investigations into our treasured national parks, my colleagues and I have discovered a number of tragic choices and changes that are in store for all of us and our children. Mr. Speaker, because of a changing climate, Glacier National Park's glaciers will melt and be no more. Mr. Speaker, because of a changing climate, Joshua Tree National Park's Joshua trees will disappear from the park named after them. Mr. Speaker, because of a changing climate, Rocky Mountain National Park's forests are dying because mild winters cannot kill pine beetles, which are devastating the park's trees. Climate change is upon us now. We are paying for its effects today, regardless of the number of votes this body takes to deny what is happening before our eyes.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to honor the military service and the life of Tibor--known to us as Ted--Rubin, a Korean war veteran, a Holocaust survivor, and a prisoner of war survivor. Mr. Rubin received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2005, and he will be the guest of honor at a ceremony in the city of Garden Grove at their post office in Orange County, California, on August 8, 2014. Ted was born on June 18, 1929, in Hungary. He spent 14 months in a concentration camp in Austria, which was liberated by the United States Army. Inspired by the work of the United States Army who saved him, he enlisted and became a member of the U.S. Army's 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, on February 13, 1950, and he was soon deployed to Korea. Despite facing religious discrimination from his sergeant, who sent him on the most dangerous missions in South Korea's Pusan Perimeter and who withheld his commendation, he fought valiantly. Corporal Rubin enabled the complete withdrawal of his comrades by solely defending a hill under an overwhelming assault by North Korean troops. He inflicted a staggering number of casualties on the attacking force during his personal 24-hour battle and helped capture several hundred North Korean soldiers. During a massive nighttime assault, he manned a .30-caliber machine gun and slowed the pace of the enemy advance. On a later assignment, Corporal Rubin was severely wounded, and he was captured. He disregarded his own personal safety and immediately began sneaking out of the camp at night in search of food for his comrades. Risking certain torture or death if he was caught, he provided food to the starving soldiers, and he provided desperately needed medical care for the wounded in the prisoner of war camp. He used improvised medical techniques to save his fellow soldiers and provided critical moral support. His brave, selfless efforts were directly attributed to saving the lives of as many as 40 of his fellow prisoners. Corporal Rubin's gallant actions in close contact with the enemy and unyielding courage and bravery while a prisoner of war are in the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army. Corporal Rubin states: ``I always wanted to become a citizen of the United States, and when I became a citizen, it was one of the happiest days in my life. I think about the United States, and I am a lucky person to live here. When I came to America, it was the first time I was free. It was one of the reasons I joined the U.S. Army, because I wanted to show my appreciation. It is the best country in the world, and I am part of it now. I do not have to worry about the gestapo knocking on my door tonight. I have shalom, peace. People die for it.''

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, our community lost a true friend and major benefactor on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 with the passing of Ray Alpert at the age of 87. Ray and his wife, Barbara, were known throughout Long Beach for their generosity and passion for organizations that helped support the Jewish community. Over the decades, Ray and his wife Barbara donated millions of dollars to the Jewish Federation of Greater Long Beach and West Orange County and its partner agencies, the Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach Hillel, Jewish Family and Children's Service and the Hebrew Academy of Huntington Beach. From its inception, the Alpert Foundation has provided the Long Beach and Western Orange County Jewish Federation with its largest annual gift. In 1997, their lead donation to the Federation was instrumental in creating the 85,000 square foot Alpert Jewish Community Center, whose comprehensive programs and facilities now serve almost every segment of our community. ``The Alpert Jewish Community Center is forever indebted to Ray and Barbara for their generosity and caring for the Center,'' said Jeffrey Rips, Executive Director. Ray's longtime friend, Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation Past President, and community leader in his own right, Eugene Lentzner, spoke lovingly of his 50 year association with Ray. ``Ray achieved great success, yet he was the most unpretentious and unassuming person I ever know. (And you should also know that comment applies to his wife also),'' said Gene. ``He was most comfortable outside the limelight; yet he served on many boards, he had a lot to say about how the agencies functioned, and he never had to have a title or office to be the most effective person in the room. And that is why everyone who has anything to say about him says that he was our pillar.'' ``He was an extremely generous man and very humble, very down-to- earth,'' said Deborah Godlfarb, CEO of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation. ``He really believed in community involvement and was active in many non-Jewish causes, as well as Jewish causes. It was part of who he was.'' ``The Hebrew Academy community is saddened by the loss of Ray Alpert a giant mentsch in our community,'' said Rabbi Yitzchok Newman. ``Ray paved the path to provide a myriad of opportunities for active participation in our community. He was a man who cared deeply about and invested generously in the future of our community. Ray will be sorely missed--may his memory be a blessing for all.'' Ray was born on April 9, 1927, and grew up in Boyle Heights. He was a co-owner of Alpert & Alpert Iron & Metal Inc., a Los Angeles-based scrap metal business founded by his father and uncle in the 1930s. Eighty years later, the company remains a family-owned business. Ray and Barbara moved to Long Beach in 1963 and soon joined Temple Israel. ``Through the years Barbara and Ray's passion for youth seemed unending,'' continued Lentzner. ``The establishment and endowment of the Alpert New Leaders Forum at the Jewish Federation, his lobbying and support that literally saved Hillel at Cal State, the founder's donation and ongoing funding of CCEJ's Building Bridges camps, which brings young people together to respect each other, were all indications of this commitment to the next generations.'' And the list goes on and on: ADL, National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, the rebuilding of Temple Israel, Ronald McDonald House, and the new Fisher House at the Long Beach Veterans Administration hospital, providing a place for the family of veterans who are being treated. ``In all, they were major funders of over 50 organizations every year, lead givers for their campaigns, and have endowed their gifts so that their programs will continue on into the future,'' remarked Lentzner. ``Ray Alpert was a man who was committed to his causes and the community,'' said Kathryn Miles, JFCS Executive Director. ``For Ray, it was not only a matter of a donation. He found long-lasting and far- reaching ways to impact programs and agencies, as both a leader and as a donor. For JFCS, Barbara and Ray's generosity has had a tremendously positive impact on our ability to provide mental health and social services to people who have nowhere else to turn.'' Ray also had a passion for Jewish history and Holocaust education. At Cal State University, Long Beach (CSULB), he and Barbara established the Barbara and Ray Alpert Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies. ``We at CSULB owe them a real debt of gratitude. Ray was not merely an active member of the Jewish Studies advisory board. At a moment of crisis, he and Barbara stepped up, and through their generosity, saved the Jewish Studies Program,'' said Jeffrey Blutinger, Director of the program. ``Their endowment has not only allowed us to continue offering classes, degrees, and our regular lecture series, but also helped us expand our programming by bringing artists, performers, and lead scholars to campus.'' Ray and Barbara have also been strong and consistent supporters of Beach Hillel, which provides services to Jewish students at CSULB and several other universities and community colleges in the Long Beach and Orange County areas. ``Through the help of Ray Alpert, Beach Hillel has been able to provide free and kosher Friday-night dinners to students, opportunities to work for social justice, and various educational and social activities that encourage students' personal growth and exploration,'' said Rachel Kaplan, Hillel Executive Director. ``One issue dear to Ray's heart was building bridges among communities,'' said Blutinger. For the last two years, Ray and Barbara have funded a collaborative project on campus involving Jewish Studies and Chicano and Latino Studies, bringing speakers on campus to highlight the longstanding relationships between the Jews and Latinos(as) in Southern California. Just a few weeks ago, he and Barbara went to CSULB to hear Dr. George Sanchez from USC describe the unique nature of the Boyle Heights community of the 1930s and '40s, a place where immigrant Jews mixed with Mexican and Mexican-Americans, African-Americans, and Japanese-Americans, forming alliances of mutual support. ``Since Ray was born and raised in Boyle Heights, he was delighted to see students from Jewish Studies and Chicano and Latino Studies classes come together to learn about his common past,'' said Blutinger. Gene Lentzner echoed Ray's interest in connecting diverse communities. ``I have to mention Ray's love for the people with whom he grew consulted and argued until they got it right, and then did it together. And the results were wonderful, often incredible,'' said Lentzner at the funeral which took place on Friday, June 13. Ray is survived by his wife Barbara, his children, Teri, Alan and Nancy; his sister, Janet Farber; and seven grandchildren who will all miss him tremendously. ``I once asked him what gave him the most satisfaction in life. You created a foundation to give away most of your fortune, so it wasn't about just making money, or having the best of everything. And he simply answered: Helping other is the best reason for the gift of life on this earth. That is what my parents taught me. That is what I tried to teach my children,'' remembers Lentzner. His life was a blessing for all of us. He really knew how to live. It is why he was so universally respected and loved. Ray's generosity and activism has touched the lives of countless people in the Long Beach area and his passing leaves a gaping hole in our hearts.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I thank the ranking member, and I look forward to working with her in the future.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. First, I would like to thank the ranking member and Chairman Simpson for bringing to the floor a bill that has incorporated interests from both parties within the limit of the Bipartisan Budget Act. In particular, I want to thank the committee for increasing funding for a specific activity within the Department of Energy's fossil energy research and development. That is the risk-based data management system. This activity supports the funding of a tool which is used by many States for public disclosure of hydraulic fracturing operations. It is called FracFocus. While this tool is intended to be easily usable by the public, it has been pointed out by a special Department of Energy task force that some improvements must be made to this government- funded database in order for it to be more accurate, accessible, and transparent. That is why I was very pleased to hear from the chairman and the ranking member that a portion of the increased funding for the risk- based data management system is intended to help update the FracFocus database to meet modern data, usability, and public transparency standards.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to States and tribes having a seat at the table for Federal oceans decisions and vote ``yes'' on the Lowenthal amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Chair, my district provides a perfect example of the need for ocean coordination and information sharing between local, State, and Federal governments, including our offshore energy management agencies, the military, our ports, our ocean carriers, our energy developers, recreational users, and other stakeholders. Let me explain. The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest port in the United States, moving $140 billion in goods, supporting 1.4 million jobs in the United States. Offshore oil platforms extract crude oil in San Pedro Bay, less than a mile from my front door. San Clemente Island, in my district, has a Navy training ground and a ship-to-shore firing range. Nearby waters are home to seabirds, fisheries, and migrating whales. Sea-level rise and extreme weather threaten neighborhoods and businesses all along my district and the entire coast of California. These are all major, interwoven uses of our oceans, and it doesn't make sense to address them on a case-by-case basis without all the stakeholders participating. We need smart ocean planning and coordination. For those reasons, my amendment would strike the misguided and counterproductive language in H.R. 4899 that prohibits costal and marine spatial planning coordination. We need our Federal offshore energy management agencies to include the consideration of other stakeholders, not exclude them from the offshore leasing and the drilling process. We should all want BOEM and BSEE to coordinate with our ports and our shipbuilders, not restrict coordination. We should all want BOEM and BSEE to coordinate with our fishermen and our fishery councils, not to restrict coordination. We should all want BOEM and BSEE to coordinate with our States and local governments, not to restrict coordination. The country, and my district, needs a comprehensive approach to our ocean resources, which is what the National Ocean Policy provides. At this time I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), a lifelong advocate for our oceans.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Chair, I would like to point out that the opposition said that six times the House is on record for striking out the National Ocean Policy. I would like to remind him that all six times that has been put back in by the U.S. Senate. I want to point out that ocean coordination--as he points out, the planning is good, but not now--has been supported by a broad array of stakeholders, including commercial fishing, engineering and consulting, recreation tourism, the renewable energy industries, as well as academics, tribes, faith-based groups, and NGOs. In fact, 117 of those organizations across 20 States wrote a letter to Congress saying: We urge you to reject any provisions that would undermine continued progress on coordinated ocean planning or seek to undermine the implementation of the National Ocean Policy. Madam Chair, I will insert that letter in the Record, as well as a letter from the North Atlantic Ports Association that represents ports and port-related interests from Virginia to Canada. The Ports Association says: We strongly oppose these amendments to any legislation, which undermine our ability to engage in planning for future ocean uses, impede the integration of the marine highway system, and create uncertainty for our businesses. May 16, 2014. Hon. John Boehner, Speaker, House of Representatives, Office of the Speaker, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Office of the Democratic Leader, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. Hon. Harold Rogers, Chairman, House Appropriations Committee, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Hon. Nita M. Lowey, Ranking Member, House Appropriations Committee, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Boehner, Leader Pelosi, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey: We are writing to express our strong support for coordinated ocean planning. In recent years, provisions attempting to undermine and defund ocean planning and coordination work among states, tribes, and federal agencies have been repeatedly inserted in a variety of legislation, particularly appropriation bills. The sole purpose of these provisions is to halt vital cross- jurisdictional coordination and ocean planning that benefits coastal communities, ocean-based businesses, and helps to protect, maintain and restore the health of our ocean's wildlife and ecosystems. We strongly object to these provisions and urge you to oppose inclusion of any such language in legislation moving through the House of Representatives. Cross-jurisdictional coordination and smart ocean planning allow coastal communities to take a pragmatic approach to changing ocean economies and environments. This approach puts ocean management decisions closer to the people, industries, and jobs that will be impacted by ocean management decisions, allowing communities to help guide their own future and make smart choices that will provide balanced use, good governance, and long-term sustainability. In contrast to misleading rhetoric from those who oppose the National Ocean Policy and the improved coordination and leveraging of limited resources it supports, efforts to better coordinate and plan for ocean uses have emerged from the ground up, with their roots in state-sponsored regional partnerships. Comprehensive, science-based coordination efforts are already underway in several regions--engaging stakeholders who use the ocean, developing region-specific data, building resiliency from large storms and creating a regional ocean plan to address current and future ocean uses. These partnerships allow local, state, tribal, and federal institutions to work together toward solutions for ocean and coastal health and improved economies. In addition to these regional efforts, several individual states are also currently using smart-ocean planning as a management tool for their state waters, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Washington, and Oregon. Attempts to prohibit key coastal and ocean management agencies from coordinating with coastal states, other federal agencies and the public, or to undermine the National Ocean Policy are severely misguided. Dismantling coordination efforts results in overspending at the state and federal level, duplicative and potentially conflicting processes among agencies, and creates uncertainty among ocean-based businesses and industries. Coordination at a regional scale through Regional Ocean Partnerships and Regional Planning Bodies provides a seat at the table for all ocean users to address current and emerging ocean uses and conflicts. Provisions attempting to impose arbitrary restrictions on coordinated planning undermine these ongoing state and regional efforts and threaten the progress already being made to enhance ocean and coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems. Accordingly, we oppose any effort to obstruct funding for regional coordination and planning, or to undermine participation by any relevant agency in regional coordination and planning efforts. Congress should be enhancing our ocean and coastal economies by supporting coordinated ocean planning, not creating arbitrary barriers for this ongoing work at the local, state, and regional level. We urge you to reject any provisions that would undermine continued progress on coordinated ocean planning or seek to undermine the implementation of the National Ocean Policy. Sincerely, National American Littoral Society; Blue Frontier; Friends of the National Ocean Policy; Greenpeace; GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.; Interfaith Council for the Protection of Animals and Nature; International Federation of Fly Fishers; League of Conservation Voters; Mangrove Action Project (MAP); National Audubon Society; National Marine Mammal Foundation; Natural Resources Defense Council; Nature Abounds; Ocean Champions; Ocean Conservancy; Ocean Conservation Research; Oceana; Save Our Shores; Shark Stewards; Surfrider Foundation; The Wilderness Society; WATERWATCH International; Wild Heritage Planners. regional Anacostia Watershed Society; Center for Chesapeake Communities; Conservation Law Foundation; Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System; Gulf Restoration Network; Markian Melnyk, President, Atlantic Grid Development LLC; New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance; Northwest Watershed Institute; Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. california Endangered Habitats League; Environmental Defense Center; Monterey Coastkeeper; Ocean Defenders Alliance; The Otter Project; Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., Executive Director, Waitt Institute; Dawn Wright, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA; Jacob A. James, Managing Director, Waitt Foundation; Jennifer Harrower, Ph.D., Student, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz; Marc Shargel, Sea Life Photographer and Author, Living Sea Images, Santa Cruz County, California; Marilyn O'Neill, Founder & CEO, Nautilus Environmental; Zdravka Tzankova, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz. colorado Colorado Ocean Coalition. connecticut Rivers Alliance of Connecticut; Save the Sound, a program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment. Delaware Delaware Nature Society; Dr. Alina M. Szmant, Professor of Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington. florida Florida Wildlife Federation; Indian Riverkeeper; Fly & Light Tackle Angler, Stuart, FL; Just-In-Time Charters; Palm Beach County Reef Rescue; Drew Martin, Conservation Chair, Loxhatchee Group; Sierra Club; Dr. Ed Schwerin, Professor of Public Policy, Florida Atlantic University; Kristen Hoss, President, Tanawha Presents LLC; Dr. Rozalind Jester, Professor of Marine Science, Edison State College, Fort Myers, FL. louisiana Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe. maine F/V Sea Keeper; Great Harbor Maritime Museum; Island Institute; Maine Wind Industry Initiative; Sea Keeper Fishery Consulting LLC; Richard C. Nelson, Captain F/V Pescadero, Maine Regional Ocean Planning Advisory Group, Friendship, Maine; Ryan Beaumont, P.E., Principal Engineer, R.M. Beaumont Corp., Brunswick, Maine. maryland 1000 Friends of Maryland; Maryland Academy of Sciences; Maryland Coastal Bays Program; National Aquarium; Daniel Trott, Owner, Maritime Sector Solutions, LLC, Fort Washington, MD; Drew J. Koslow, Choptank Riverkeeper, Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy; John H. Dunnigan, Sailor and Grandpa. Massachusetts Alewives Anonymous; Peter Phippen, Coastal Coordinator, Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program, Eight Towns and the Great Marsh Committee; Richard F. Delaney, President & C.E.O., Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA; Robert Stoddard, Executive Vice President, GWAVE LLC, Boston, MA; Tedd Saunders, CSO, The Saunders Hotel Group, Boston, MA. new hampshire Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation; Seacoast Science Center; Noah J. Elwood, PE, Appledore Marine Engineering. new jersey Environment New Jersey; SandyHook SeaLife Foundation; Margo Pellegrino, Founder, Miami2Maine; Michael L. Pisauro, Jr. Legislative Affairs Director, New Jersey Environmental Lobby. new york Blue Ocean Institute; Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Empire State Consumer Project; Friends of the Bay; Group for the East End; Operation SPLASH; Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph.D., President, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island; Harald Duell, Senior Vice President, Ardour Capital Investments, LLC, The Empire State Building, New York, NY; Jackie Quillen, The Garden Club of East Hampton. oregon Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition; Oregon Wave Energy Trust; Port Orford Ocean Resource Team; Chares Steinback, Director, Point 97; Ruby Gate, CEO, Point 97. pennsylvania Captain Joel S. Fogel, The Explorers Club, First World Ambassador. rhode island The Ocean Project; Bill McElroy, Captain/Owner, FV Ellen June; Jeff Grybowski, CEO, Deepwater Wind; Michael C. Tuttle, Manager Marine Services Division, HRA Gray & Pape, LLC, Providence, RI. south carolina South Carolina Coastal Conservation League; Waccamaw Riverkeeper; Paul M. Rosenblum Ph.D., Faculty Advisor to the Honor Committee, Professor of Biology, The Citadel. texas Texas Coastal Partners; Ann E. Jochens, Research Scientist, Retired, Texas A&M University, College Station. virginia TerraScapes Environmental; Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center; Eileen Levandoski, Assistant Director, Virginia Chapter Sierra Club; W. Mark Swingle, Director of Research & Conservation, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach, VA. washington FOGH (Friends of Grays Harbor); Taylor Shellfish Farms; Wild Fish Conservancy; Kathleen Sayce, Shoalwater Botanical, Nahcotta, WA; Norman T. Baker, Ph.D., Executive Committee, North Olympic Group of the Sierra Club. west virginia Christians for the Mountains.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I thank you very much.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Thank you, Congressman. It is an honor to be here. It is an honor to work with you on LGBT issues and all issues before the Congress, but as you point out, this is a historic time that we are living through. This month, as you point out, marks LGBT Pride Month, a time for all of us to come together and remember the struggles for inclusion and the steps we are taking together to promote equality today, tomorrow, and generations to come. Also, as you pointed out, it marks the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York. The riots in June of 1969 were a turning point for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and also for all its allies, friends, and family. This is a moment when the community came together and stood up and said no--no to intolerance, no to homophobia, and no to homophobic public policies. So much has changed since that night at the Stonewall Inn. Today, the egregious Defense of Marriage Act has been overturned by the United States Supreme Court, and marriage equality has come to 20 States, including my home State of California. I am pleased to say two weekends ago I had the honor of being an affiant in the marriage of a loving couple of the LGBT community. The momentum for marriage equality is continuing, and we are living through a time when change is before us. As you pointed out, I was listening to the discussions before the United States Supreme Court on DOMA and on Proposition 8, and I was so caught up and offended by people not wanting to provide equality when they would testify before it that I said that I would fly the pride flag from that day forward until equality is attained by all people, and especially the LGBT community. And that flag still flies today. Although there have been great strides, equality is still not here. For example, there is no Federal law that explicitly protects the LGBT individuals from employment discrimination. Congress now has a unique opportunity to change that and make history. The Employment Non- Discrimination Act, also known as ENDA, has 205 bipartisan cosponsors and will ban all workplace discrimination against the LGBT community. This bill is the next important step on the inevitable march towards equality, and it will change the way in which we deal with all of our brothers and sisters, and it will provide the dignity that the LGBT community deserves. I was pleased to hear that President Obama has indicated that he is soon to issue an executive order regarding LGBT discrimination, that he will ban all Federal Government contractors from discriminating against employees based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Since taking office, the President has added critical protections to the Violence Against Women Act that protects the LGBT community and repeals the decades-old military policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. These are great steps, and we are living through a time of great change, but now it is Congress' turn to act so we can finally close this chapter of inequality. We must pass ENDA during the 113th Congress so we can take the next step towards ending discrimination now and forever.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, I urge support of this amendment and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky, thank you for providing me this time to speak on the floor today. Mr. Chairman, as we all know, providing science, technology, engineering, and math education to America's youth is critical to the global competitiveness of our Nation. The STARBASE program engages local fifth grade elementary students by exposing them to STEM subjects through an inquiry-based curriculum that is currently active in 56 congressional districts throughout the country. We need to be committed to ensuring the United States remains competitive globally by strengthening the pipeline of American graduates with degrees in STEM fields. That is why I am offering STARBASE amendment No. 32 to H.R. 4870, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. My bipartisan amendment, with Congressman Benishek, increases funding to the STARBASE Youth Program by $5 million. The STARBASE program is carried out by the military because the lack of STEM-educated youth in America has been identified as a future national security issue by the Department of Defense. Last year, both the House and the Senate rejected the Office of Management and Budget's proposal to terminate this critical program. As a Member of Congress, I appreciate the OMB's desire to consolidate the STEM programs across the spectrum into one funding line. However, this is a national defense issue, and it has been identified by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as such. STARBASE was created under the auspices of the Department of Defense to meet its critical needs in STEM-related fields. Regrettably, the funding uncertainty caused by last year's OMB action has resulted in the elimination of all of the programs operated by the Navy, and it has reduced the fiscal year 2014 number of DOD STARBASE programs from 79 down to 56 sites. Despite the funding issues, the DOD currently has 25 sites on a waiting list for a program, and that is why we need a small increase in the number of STARBASE programs. I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their strong leadership in reestablishing the funding for the program, and I respectfully request an additional $5 million to help expand the program. It is one of the most cost-effective programs, and it is also reported by the Department of Defense as being one of the most effective of the STEM programs. My amendment makes a significant step towards providing and engaging America's youth with the tools they need to pursue careers in STEM-- fields in which jobs are available and in which there is a significant lack of trained workers. STARBASE inspires America's youth to discover technical fields that are imperative for our future national security challenges. During this time of economic recovery, we cannot lose this battle and concede our technical edge to the rest of the world.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, the House Natural Resources Committee marked up amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, the law that manages our Nation's Federal fisheries. Unfortunately, the bill that passed out of committee was not a bipartisan effort. Among its many concerning provisions, the bill supersedes long-standing protections for endangered species and our national marine landmarks. That is why I offered an amendment in committee that would have kept the Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Endangered Species Act from being overridden by Magnuson-Stevens. That act, Magnuson-Stevens, is really designed to manage fisheries, not to safeguard our national marine treasures. Thankfully, the Senate is taking a bipartisan approach to Magnuson-Stevens. I urge our committee leaders to follow their example and work across party lines to build a bipartisan fisheries bill.