Alan Lowenthal

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I thank the gentleman from Florida. Mr. Speaker, we are a country of interdependent States that share prosperity, challenges, and resources, united with a goal of a healthy economy supported by quality infrastructure. At times, though, inequities in the collection and distribution of Federal resources create such an imbalance that one region is put at a distinct disadvantage. This is the case for California, which collects nearly one-third of the Nation's harbor maintenance taxes but receives less than 7 percent of the expenditures for port projects. Mrs. Napolitano's amendment, had it been allowed to come to this floor, would have brought a measure of equity to this stark imbalance. I believe this was a missed opportunity for our Nation's ports.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Thank you, Congressman Takano. Our economy, as you pointed out, is being held hostage by Speaker Boehner for his refusal to put forth a clean budget funding bill, what is called a ``continuing resolution,'' after we Democrats agreed to use his number. This is keeping us from really dealing with the real job of Congress also, which is to create jobs and to grow the economy. I've been talking to people in my district to get some specific examples of some of the impacts of this irresponsible shutdown. Then I would like to also talk about some of the personal experiences that people have called me and told me about. For example, in terms of one of my cities, the largest city in my district--the city of Long Beach--I will talk about the Small Business Administration, the SBA. In the 47th Congressional District, the SBA gives approximately $308,000 in loans per day. It has not given out one loan to small businesses in California's 47th Congressional District since the government was shut down. What about Women, Infants, and Children, the WIC program? In Long Beach alone, 25,000 women and children use WIC vouchers. That is to keep people from starving. That is to provide food. That funding runs out this month, and there is no other money to provide any funding for the WIC program. What about housing? There are 23,000 people in the city of Long Beach, and 6,600 housing units receive section 8 vouchers. They pay their rent once a month with these vouchers, and those apartments and those units get reimbursed by the government. There will be no payments to landlords in the city of Long Beach with section 8 vouchers. But that is just kind of the overview. What about some of the specifics? Over 20 years ago, a dear friend of mine opened a card shop right near our house in part of the revitalization. I don't want to mention his name, but he opens this shop in the city, works very well, part of the revitalization. About a year and a half ago, he hurts his leg, goes to the hospital, and finds out that he has, unfortunately, ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. This past December, he loses his business because he can no longer operate, and today he lies in his living room almost totally paralyzed and barely able to breath on oxygen. His partner of 24 years--he and his partner adopted a child 19 years ago, who is now 19--his partner is employed by the Department of Defense. He was furloughed. So my dear friend and his partner do not know how they are going to pay their mortgage as he lies in his living room gasping for air. This is not the America that we know. I have another constituent who is a young lieutenant in a local police agency, local law enforcement agency. After 2 years of applying and going through all the applications to enter the Federal Bureau of Investigations, an 11-week training program here in Washington, 211 of the most selected and highly chosen people throughout 48 States and 24 nations arrived last Monday and Tuesday--they closed down the FBI training facility. All the instructors were furloughed. He will lose his opportunity, the one opportunity to move forward that he had, because we and the Speaker will not bring up--this Congress cannot act, and the Speaker will not bring up a clean funding bill. I will close by bringing up one other email that I received: Currently, an exempt Federal employee working but not being paid, I will be defaulting on my mortgage, unable to pay several obligations. However, stay strong in your resolve. Do not succumb to extortion. We, the people, are suffering. Your colleagues are clueless and, apparently, heartless as well. Please remind them who they work for--we, the people. I am a civil servant. So are Congressmen and Congresswomen. It is time for a wake-up call in the Capitol.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, as I awoke this morning and read my local newspaper, I realized that my dear friend Greg Taylor is lying in a medical bed, mostly paralyzed and barely able to breathe, as he copes with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. This past December, Greg lost his business. If this is not bad enough, Greg's long-time partner of 28 years, Albert Sanchez, was just furloughed, a member of the Department of Defense. Although he may now return back to work, this stress is unbearable as they both struggle to make house payments. I failed to mention, they also have a 19-year-old son. Today is the ninth day of this government shutdown. We still must do something to stop this shutdown. Speaker Boehner, the Democrats have compromised by agreeing to your budget numbers. Now it is time for you to compromise by giving us a clean bill to vote for. Let's stop this nightmare. I urge us to move forward.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I am greatly saddened by what has taken place the past few days with the closure of the government. We are participating in a downward spiral that has no end in sight. And we've lost the ability to relate to ordinary Americans. It's important to talk about how our actions, our inactions here in Washington affect the very people that we represent. I want to talk to you today about two people who have been impacted tremendously by the actions of this House to close down government. Let me begin with one of my constituents, who is an FAA safety inspector who has been furloughed. He has been furloughed, as I mentioned, from his job as a Federal Aviation Administration aviation inspector because we have not been able to keep the government open. He reached out to me, and I have here his letter. He reached out to me and asked that I share his concerns with all Members of Congress and with the public at large. He made it clear to me that he was not here to talk about or to ask me to minimize the hardship that is going on in his family. Instead, he wrote that he wanted to express his concerns that the aviation inspectors will not be on the job to ensure the safety of U.S. travelers. My constituent, a retired Army officer, veteran, wanted me to specifically talk about four safety functions that are now not being performed by FAA inspectors under this government shutdown. First, surveillance of aircraft, pilots, both domestic and foreign repair stations have been halted, leaving aircraft maintenance and aviation operations unchecked. Second, in-flight cockpit inspections have been suspended, meaning that safety inspectors are not in the air overseeing aircraft, pilots, flight crewmembers, and in-flight operations and procedures. Third, ramp inspections are not being conducted at airport gate facilities. This is not just here in Washington, but nationwide. This increases the probability of risks not being identified between destination points. And fourth, even more frightening is that aviation safety inspectors are not on duty to respond in the event of an aircraft accident. How tragic this is. But the second one even touched me more. Maybe not more, but certainly equally as much. This is about a young lieutenant at a local Los Angeles County police department who has worked for the past 2 years to be accepted into the prestigious FBI National Academy. This 11-week program, which is paid completely without Federal funds, was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to pursue his dreams and contribute to the safety of our country. The government shutdown Tuesday, however, crushed his dreams because this 11-week program began on Monday. All he wants do is to go to his classes, but he can't, because there are no instructors. They have been furloughed. This program has 212 of the brightest and most dedicated law enforcement officers from 24 countries and 48 States. If the government does not quickly reopen, they must go home, every single one of them. Mr. Speaker, do not send these people home. We are witnessing political brinksmanship in its purest form. The American people have no time for these games. And I did not come here to participate in unnecessary political brinksmanship. I came to provide solutions and resolve problems. Instead of pitting Americans against Americans using this piecemeal approach that my colleagues across the aisle have decided to do to keep the government open, I urge my colleagues across the aisle to declare victory, use their own budget numbers, and vote for a clean CR that will last until mid-November. Don't hold our government hostage any longer.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, and I appreciate his leadership in holding this vital conversation. During my two decades in public service, I've heard many stories about how, when the economy slows down and when Americans fall on hard times, the American social safety net has helped our fellow Americans get back on their feet again. I want to talk a little bit today, my dear friend, about what a constituent told me. I want to talk about his personal food stamp success, a story that really illustrates how SNAP is an investment in the future success of Americans. This young man, whose name is Stefan, from Long Beach, recently wrote to me. He said: My parents, after graduating from college in the mid-seventies, had to rely on food stamps for a period. They eventually went on to complete advanced degrees and began to have wonderful and productive jobs in the private sector and in higher education, but they are both now quick to acknowledge the essential helping hand that food stamps--and also, for this young man, the WIC program for both his sister and him--played in helping them when times were tough. Let us just remember what took place today, because these two Americans were low-income, childless adults at the time. It was for a very short period in their lives that they were low-income and also childless as adults. However, let us remember that this is one of the categories of people from whom the just-passed House bill would strip SNAP benefits. Stefan's parents, my friend, did not want to stay on food stamps, but food stamps provided them the ability to go on and become highly productive members of society because America invested in them through the SNAP program. Contrary to the majority's claim, poor and unemployed Americans do not--and I repeat ``do not''--want to remain unemployed in order to receive a meager $1.40 per meal. That argument is specious. It paints a false picture of the masses of people who would rather have less than 6 quarters per meal than a paying job. This is not a rational choice. No one chooses the 6 quarters. These are people who need America's support and investment in order to survive.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. My dear colleague from Pennsylvania, I agree that it's absolutely ludicrous. On $1.40 per meal, you are not having lobster dinners. You are not having real dinners. You are barely surviving. These are proud people who want to make a contribution to society, who went through a difficult period. As this son pointed out, after their getting through this difficult time, they moved on after receiving these benefits, which they proudly talk about how much they helped them, and they are now productive members of our society and contribute greatly to this society. It is fallacious and silly to think that people choose to be on SNAP because they want to exploit the system. I want to talk a little bit about who our Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill that just passed today would deny SNAP benefits to. First of all, it would deny SNAP benefits to over 3.8 million of our fellow Americans in the year 2014. Now, who are these poor, unemployed, childless Americans that this bill largely targets? According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 40 percent are women; 34 percent are over 40 years of age; 50 percent are white; 30 percent are African American; 10 percent are Hispanic; and 5 percent are Native American; 40 percent live in suburban areas; 40 percent live in urban areas; and 20 percent live in rural areas. I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, that SNAP is an investment in America's workers, both current and prospective. To gut that investment--to let Americans go hungry--is to deny each of them an opportunity to become a contributing member of our society. This is not how America takes care of its people.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I was puzzled when I read the bill title, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, and then went on to read the bill text. Surely there must have been a mistake when drafting this bill. Strategic and critical minerals were certainly not meant to include sand, gravel, and clay. But right now, section 3 of this bill is written so broadly that it would include very common nonstrategic and noncritical minerals--even going so far, as I mentioned, to encompass materials such as sand, gravel, and clay. The Interior Department recently testified before my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee and confirmed that this is, in fact, exactly the case. The bill that we are now considering is written expansively beyond critical minerals. The Interior Department testified: This legislation would remove many of the environmental safeguards for almost all kinds of hardrock mines on public lands, bypassing evaluation of potential impacts under NEPA, and limit public involvement in agency decisionmaking. That's why I introduce an amendment that would simply narrow the bill's definition of purported strategic and critical minerals to actual strategic and critical minerals, as defined by the National Research Council. Why is my amendment critical? It is because instead of ostensibly fast-tracking only strategic and critical minerals, which this bill I think does poorly, this legislation appears to be a guise for mining interests to loosen public review, judicial review, and environmental protections not just for strategic and critical minerals, but for all hardrock mining. We could have a debate about how to ensure America's supply of strategic and critical minerals, but first we have to get the definition right. I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I welcome those comments, but let's be real clear what I'm talking about. I am talking about eliminating a giveaway of almost all hard rock mining, to really defining what is strategic and critical as defined by the robust methodology in the National Research Council's report. Now, what do I mean by a robust methodology? It says if we look at all the mining that we have, if we look at what we have to define as strategic, we have to look along two dimensions in a scientific way. We have to know: What is the impact of this mineral or this mining if there was a supply restriction? What would be the impact if there was a supply restriction? Would it impact defense? Would it impact national security? If it does have an impact, then it has a high rating on that. Also, what about the supply risk? We need to measure, if we do not develop this mine at this place, are there other places that we can? If, in fact, a mineral has high supply risk, high impact, not only are those minerals defined now, but the Secretary of the Interior, using this methodology, will define. This clearly defines what is needed in terms of strategic and critical, and not just everything. I remind you that right now we are loosening in the bill the environmental protections, public participation, judicial review for everything. We're doing it, as was pointed out, for national defense, he said, anything that meets national security requirements, for energy infrastructure, pipelines, refining capacity, power generation, domestic manufacturing--which includes everything, whether it's important or not--health care, telecommunications, transportation. What we're doing is we're gutting protections for everything, not those that are just needed. I present a methodology which will allow a real clear definition, not just of what's in the bill now, but include a methodology that the Secretary of the Interior can include if the material is really needed to be mined. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Again, I introduced this amendment that would narrow the bill's definition to not what is purported to be strategic but actually what is strategic, that if we're going to give benefits, they must be strategic, and my amendment provides for an actual way of measuring that. I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the heroic efforts of Corporal Tibor Rubin of the United States Army. Corporal Rubin was with the 1st Cavalry Division and received his Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in action from July 23, 1950 to April 20, 1953 in Korea. While the Regiment was withdrawing, Corporal Rubin single-handedly held off enemy charges allowing the 8th Cavalry to complete its withdrawal. On October 30, 1950, a number of Chinese forces mounted an assault on Corporal Rubin's unit. Corporal Rubin maintained his firing position until he had exhausted all his ammunition. Although inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, Corporal Rubin was eventually captured. While in a prison camp, however, the Corporal continued his resistance and selflessness by caring for his sick comrades. It is for his unyielding courage and bravery that I am proud to honor and remember the actions of Corporal Tibor ``Ted'' Rubin.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. First, I want to say that I stand with you, and I'm so glad that you've raised this issue about the crisis that is occurring to working families in America, and, as was just pointed out, the tremendous crash and burden on the middle class, who are rapidly becoming low-wage workers because of our policies in this country. I agree completely that the first step that we have to do is to raise the minimum wage and have that discussion and really provide and demonstrate that this Congress really cares about working people in America. That's our first thing. But I'm also glad that you've given me an opportunity this afternoon to talk about one other issue that is not really directly related to this issue, and that has to do with environmental issues. I just want to report to my colleagues that later this month the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is the leading international climate science body with over 195 member countries, is going to be releasing a report which will predict that the planet's average global temperature will increase by more than 2 degrees Celsius over the next century. Not only does this report issue new warnings about continued warming, but it asserts that the scientific community can now claim with 95 percent certainty that the warming is a byproduct of human activity. Yet in this House of Representatives, the majority party continues to ignore the warnings of the scientific community. Over the past 2 years, this Congress has done absolutely nothing to address climate change. Republicans in the House voted to overturn EPA's scientific findings that climate change endangers health and the environment. They voted to block U.S. participation in international climate change negotiations, and they voted to stop the agencies from even preparing for the effects of climate change. Just yesterday, Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee revealed that they are preparing to introduce legislation aimed at preventing EPA from limiting the amount of CO2 emitted from coal-fired power plants. This is a mistake. Mr. Speaker, we need to be moving ahead with policies aimed at encouraging alternative sources of energy, preparing for the worst effects of climate change. We need policies that are not written by the coal lobby. We must take action. And I must remind you, just as you raised these issues about the effect of the economy on our middle class and our lack of preparation of working families, that the people that are the most affected are the people that have the least ability to deal with climate change, and they are working Americans. It is all related. We must protect working Americans, and the way we do it is to not only acknowledge some of the effects of climate change but really to give working families the tools that they need so that they can survive. And more than survive, so they can prosper in this society. That's what this is all about. I thank you for raising this issue, and I am glad to show support.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to introduce my first bill as a Member of Congress. It's Let the People Draw the Lines Act, or H.R. 2978. My bill does exactly what that title says: it lets people, not politicians, draw the district lines for the United States House of Representatives. My bill empowers the States to create independent redistricting commissions, much like we have in my home State of California. The Let the People Draw the Lines Act will remove redistricting from the political process. It will provide clear and uniform redistricting criteria that give all communities a fair and equal voice in the political process. This entire process will be transparent and open to the public, the way it should be. If my bill becomes law, Mr. Speaker, political gerrymandering will finally become a closed chapter in our Nation's journey towards a more perfect democracy. Let the people draw the lines, Mr. Speaker. America deserves true representation.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I sadly come before the Congress to recognize and honor a person that I loved very much, Lillian Kawasaki. Lillian Kawasaki was a dedicated public servant, a respected community leader, a beloved wife, a sister, and she was a dear, dear friend of mine. Sadly, on July 18, Lillian passed away, and a memorial service will be held this Saturday, August 3. Lillian was a generous soul. Her generosity of self always was done with grace and enthusiasm. She engendered tremendous respect and love from all who knew her. She possessed an infectious smile. Her laugh made everybody feel better. Her work for the last two decades was on environmental efforts, first with the Port of Los Angeles, and then with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. It brought not only recognition to her throughout California but also throughout the Nation. She was an expert on water issues and when she passed away was a member of the Water Replenishment District, elected. Long Beach has lost one of its finest. I, and countless others in California, already miss Lillian. She will not be forgotten.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, climate change is a long-term threat to my home State of California and to all coastal States. Climate change will increase the risk of flooding and eventual submersion of millions of American low-lying homes. Mr. Speaker, I hold up this article that a group of scientists from Princeton and the University of Arizona recently published, a journal article that quantifies State by State the coastal populations that are exposed to storm surges and sea level rise. The researchers found that in California there are more than 138,000 housing units and over 325,000 Californians living on land that is below one meter of high tide. And in the entire United States, there are approximately 3.7 million Americans living on land below one meter of high tide. Mr. Speaker, if Congress and the world does nothing, climate change will have a devastating impact on these 3.7 million Americans who are on the front line of climate change. And that number will only grow.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, 118 million Americans--seniors, low- income families, the disabled--all rely on Medicare and Medicaid services in one way or another. These services guarantee benefits that give our Nation's most vulnerable peace of mind and an increased quality of life. Today, we proudly acknowledge almost five decades of Medicare and Medicaid services. While most service providers are honest and law- abiding, it has recently come to my attention that there are a few that have affected the delivery and integrity of services to the people who rely on these programs. Congress has the power to change that. Today, on the 48th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid being signed into law, Congress must recommit itself to the safeguarding and strengthening of America's Medicare and Medicaid service systems. The promise of Medicare and the morality of Medicaid must never be compromised no matter how hard the political battles are.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, to build a vibrant economy, we must invest in building our nation's infrastructure in a strategic and cost- effective way. Our businesses and communities need efficient transportation and goods movement; our aging neighborhoods need help to eliminate blight and to encourage additional private investment and business growth; and, our country needs to invest in job creation. H.R. 2610 does not meet any of these needs. The uncompromising austerity of this bill strips our economy of its footing and imparts damage that will be felt for generations. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) programs--critical investments in our infrastructure--will be cut in half by H.R. 2610. These grants are used to stabilize low income neighborhoods with tools that support and stimulate economic vitality. For every federal dollar spent in CDBG funds another $3 in private and public investment is leveraged. In Long Beach, CA last year, these grants provided services for 384 new and existing small businesses, creating many new jobs; provided comprehensive services to 18,000 Long Beach community members, promoting progress towards permanent housing and self-sufficiency-- lifting people out of poverty and off government assistance; and, completed exterior repairs and upgrades at 115 business sites revitalizing Long Beach neighborhoods. Unfortunately, H.R. 2610 eliminates TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Program) grants and it eliminates all funding for the Sustainable Communities Initiative--both are models of collaborative and efficient government. These two models support sustainable regional transportation systems and land use planning to promote economic health and workable communities, respectively. America cannot afford to divest in its infrastructure. I ask for a ``no'' vote on H.R. 2610.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following. Whereas, the Long Beach Central Area Association (LBCAA) is a 22 year old non-profit organization; and Whereas, MusicUNTOLD is the program and event production arm of the LBCAA, dedicated to educational art programs that promote diversity and human dignity; and Whereas, all of MusicUNTOLD events and programs are free to the public, except annual signature/ticketed concerts; and Whereas, the signature concert for 2013, is the 50th anniversary of the ``Martin Luther King, Jr. Symphony of Brotherhood'' Concert, on August 18 at the Zipper Hall-Colburn; and Whereas, the chamber music concert is celebrating the 50th Anniversary ``March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs'' and Dr. King's ``I Have A Dream'' speech, featuring national and local classical and opera artists; and Whereas, the concert will present MLK Jr.'s little known appreciation of classical and opera music, a correlation between Beethoven and MLK Jr., and the historical footprint of MLK Jr. in Los Angeles; and Whereas, the world premiere of ``Candlelight'' for soprano by South Korean educator and composer Dr. Joopoong Kim. More information can be found http://wvvw.brownpapertickets.com/ event/385424 and www.musicuntold.com.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I'd like to thank Chairman Young and also Ranking Member Visclosky for providing me the time to speak today. Mr. Chairman, providing STEM education to America's youth is critical to the global competitiveness of our Nation. This will rely, however, on a solid pipeline of STEM-degree graduates. I stand here today to offer my revenue-neutral STARBASE amendment No. 99 to H.R. 2397, the Department of Defense Appropriations, to increase funding to the STARBASE youth program by $5 million. STARBASE is currently active in 79 congressional districts throughout the country and engages local fifth-grade elementary students by exposing them to STEM subjects through an inquiry-based curriculum. The program is carried out by the military services because the Department of Defense has identified a shortage of young adults graduating from these difficult and hard sciences. The STARBASE academies work with school districts to engage students through ``hands-on, mind-on,'' experiential activities. They study engineering, nanotechnology, navigation and mapping. These are all critical fields that will keep our country competitive. My no-cost, revenue-neutral amendment makes a significant step towards providing and engaging America's youth with the tools they need to pursue careers in STEM, a field where jobs are available and there is a significant lack of trained workers. A recent Brookings Institution study said that as of 2011, there are now 26 million U.S. jobs--or approximately 20 percent of all jobs in the country--that require a high level of knowledge in any one of the STEM fields. I urge my colleagues to support this revenue-neutral amendment to H.R. 2396. Our students and our workforce need this.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, education is our greatest investment in our future. As with any long term investment, the real rewards of the investment are often not seen until decades later. Investment takes patience and foresight and a thoughtful approach. Studies show that U.S. businesses are in need of workers that are collaborative and creative critical thinkers. We must build an educational system that supports the development of this workforce. To achieve this, we in Congress must reflect these values by working collaboratively and tapping the full complement of creative minds in this House. Our work product can only be as good as we are. I ask that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle work with us to develop the kind of educational system that will provide the opportunity for every child to meet their potential and become assets to our country. Let's begin by finding our common ground. We all can agree that our current accountability system goes too far and too often acts as the enemy of creativity. Our challenge is to develop policy that supports inspired learning environments while also accounting for ELL students, students at risk, and special needs students. I believe we can find that balance. We can agree that an educated workforce is good for the country. Perhaps we can agree that we need an educational system that supports the diverse talents of all students--those that shine academically and those that shine in career tech classes. I believe we can achieve this too. Our current educational system is losing on the international stage. Contrary to the recent years of economic struggle, the U.S. continues to be a land of plenty on the world scale. If we hope to remain a world leader, it is essential that we stop looking at our educational system with a scarcity mentality--a mentality that acts to take from one to give to another, where there is not enough for all. We must recognize that our educational system is our greatest investment and fight to put all we can into it. We can't afford to lose children, to lose their talents and their potential contributions to our country. We need every one of them. H.R. 5 has some good components that move us in a better direction. Unfortunately, this legislation lacks the kind of investment needed to educate our future workforce. Education is the key to a strong democracy, economic competitiveness and continued global leadership for the U.S.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. I thank the gentlewoman from California, who has been an outstanding champion of ocean protection. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. It would not only honor the wishes of the Governor of California, but also the vast majority of the Federal and State representatives, especially all those that are closest to where this misguided bill would not only authorize, but would force the sale of offshore oil and gas leases. These are the people who would bear the greatest risk of any oil spill, which, as we all know, has already occurred in the past in these waters. As I just said, the underlying bill we are considering today not only just authorizes, but it mandates lease sales in vast portions of the Outer Continental Shelf, including southern California, forcing the Interior Department and the States to accept leases in their backyards, regardless of the opposition from potential impacts. And it not only does that, it bars citizens from properly participating in the process. What do I mean? This bill lacks meaningful environmental review and a chance for Americans to voice their informed consent by not allowing any consideration of any nonleasing alternative in the NEPA process. Instead, what does the bill do? It dictates to the public, it dictates to the States, it dictates to the Interior Department, without any of their input, where oil and gas leases will be held. This would occur regardless of whether the public has legitimate concerns or not. Too bad. They're going to drill in our backyard. Mr. Chair, instead of focusing on dead-end legislation, this body should be preparing for our energy future, which I believe the public will demand more and more. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, we do not oppose this amendment at this time. I yield back the balance of my time.