Ted Lieu

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the TALENT Act. I believe it will help our government continue to attract the best and the brightest to help some of our Nation's largest challenges. This Act codifies Executive Order 13704, and ensures the continuation of the Presidential Innovation Fellows program, which helps bring private-sector information technology solutions to Federal agencies. Established by President Obama in 2012, this program has matched over 100 innovators with top civil servants at 25 different Federal departments and agencies. These partnerships harness new technology and tools to create a more effective and efficient government. During their tenure, fellows work to quickly deliver innovative products and services that help improve the way the Federal Government interacts with the American people. The fellows are as diverse as our country and come from every region, age, skill, race, and gender. They have experience at companies like Google and Facebook, degrees from some of our top universities, extensive experience in nonprofits and, most importantly, a desire to harness their skills for public service. Past projects include the Blue Button Initiative, which allows 150 million Americans access to their own health data so they can make informed decisions about their family's care. The GeoQ project provides FEMA with better on-the-ground knowledge in times of disaster, using crowdsourced pictures to better assess damages and needs. The NotAlone.gov project provides students and law enforcement personnel resources on responding and preventing sexual assault on college campuses. And as a veteran myself, I appreciate the Veterans Employment Center, which has created a central hub for those who served with resources and potential employers to help them make the transition to civilian life. This is a good bill that would make permanent a successful program. I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to respectfully request that my constituents and your constituents receive the dignity of having their Member of Congress cast a vote on gun safety legislation, specifically, on background checks and making sure that terrorists don't buy guns. I served on Active Duty in the U.S. Military. I am still in the Reserves. I fired guns. I have taken them apart, cleaned them, and put them back together. I have two marksmanship awards from the United States Air Force, and I know how lethal these weapons are, which is why we need gun safety legislation. Every day, 297 people are shot. That means that in the next 5 minutes, someone else will be shot. Who will that be? Will it be a child? Will it be someone that you know?

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4775, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016. Protecting our air from dirty pollution should not be a partisan issue. We all want to breathe clean air. We all want our children to be able to play outside without risking an asthma attack due to high ozone levels. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized new ozone rules designed to protect the health of all Americans, particularly those communities which are at higher risk for smog. H.R. 4775 would delay this rule and critically undermine the Clean Air Act, jeopardizing Americans' health. In my home state of California, smog used to be so bad that people were not allowed to go outside. We have made a lot of progress since then, and the last smog alert in California occurred in 1997. H.R. 4775 represents a step backward in our nation's fight for cleaner air, and I urge my colleagues to vote.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Eric Bradley--husband, father, and community leader--who passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2016. Eric was well known locally and nationally as a political activist and strategist who possessed unparalleled abilities in organizing and advocating for numerous causes. He served his community, his state, and his country loyally and effectively through his work. Eric began his career after studying political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara and continued to serve the people of Southern California until his last days. He dedicated his life to improving the lives of others and he will be remembered for his compassionate spirit, which moved everyone who met him. Trusted and beloved by many, Eric was a man of resolute character, integrity, honesty, and kindness. His advice was invaluable and his approval, once earned, was treasured. He believed in fairness and justice for all; equal opportunity and protection under the law; creating an economy that supports everyone, especially working families; and above all, the value of public service. Eric Bradley's legacy will live on in the institutions that he served and through the people that he empowered. He is survived by his wife, Gail Bradley, and his son, Anders Bradley, whom I hope take comfort in the way he lived as an outstanding and honest man. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Eric Bradley's incredible life.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Maestro Alvin Mills of Santa Monica, California who is retiring on May 15, 2016 at the age of 94 after being the conductor of the Brentwood Westwood Symphony Orchestra for 63 years. I want to commend Maestro Mills for his commitment to bringing joy and music to thousands of people who are not able to afford to go to the Philharmonic concerts. Maestro Mills began studying violin at the age of 8 and later studied with Pierre Monteux at the Ecole Monteux in Hancock, Maine. As a violinist he performed with the Kansas City Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl Symphony. In 1949 he became the Founder and Conductor of the Lompoc California Symphony. Maestro Mills founded the Brentwood Westwood Symphony Orchestra in 1953. He also served as its conductor and musical director since its inception, and has championed the cause of keeping alive the arts and classical music by giving free quality classical symphonic concerts in these communities. Maestro Mills also championed the youth in Los Angeles as a music teacher and with a contest that he started 30 years ago entitled, ``The Artists of Tomorrow Competition'' which gives the opportunity for 6 to 7 young artists who win the contest each year to receive scholarships and perform with the orchestra. Many of them have gone on to successful careers in music. Through his inspiration, talents and leadership, Maestro Mills has exemplified the best ideals of community service. I am proud to honor Maestro Mills of Brentwood, California and thank him for his dedication to culturally enriching the residents of the 33rd Congressional District.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. My amendment would simply change the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program so that it could not discriminate against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Sadly, we know that LGBT kids are often victims of bullying and hate. According to a survey by the Human Rights Campaign, LGBT youth were twice as likely as their non-LGBT peers to report being verbally harassed and excluded. Moreover, misguided anti-LGBT laws, such as those passed in North Carolina and Mississippi, continue to send a message that being LGBT is not okay, and that is wrong. As one of my Republican colleagues earlier today on the floor stated, God makes every child different. It is wrong to systematically discriminate against students because they are LGBT. We need to send our kids a message that saying whom they love and the gender they identify with does not dictate their self-worth, and it certainly should not dictate whether or not they can get a voucher. I move that we begin to do this right now by passing my amendment to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Being LGBTQ is not a medical condition that needs to be cured. It is instead a beautiful reflection of what it means to be a human being. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. I am opposed.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge two outstanding Angelenos, Sabra Williams and Roby So, both of whom were named Champions of Change by the White House for expanding fair chance opportunities. Sabra Williams is the founder and director of the Actors' Gang Prison Project. An actress herself, Sabra conducts an 8-week theater program in prisons in California. Through her work, inmates have developed key social and emotional skills and also have increased their self-esteem and tolerance. As a result, the Department of Corrections has seen an 89 percent reduction in prison violations amongst inmates who have completed the Prison Project. Further, inmates who have gone through the program have the necessary skills to ease their transition back into society after prison, resulting in a lower risk of recidivism. Roby So is a formerly incarcerated inmate of 12 years and has turned his harsh life experiences into helping others. Roby is the re-entry program manager at the Executive Clemency Initiative with Stanford Law School's Justice Advocacy Project. The program helps reintegrate returning inmates into society after long prison sentences. Roby is also a production supervisor in the entertainment industry, serving as an example to former inmates that they, too, can successfully reintegrate into society. As our nation begins to cope with the tragic human toll of our mass incarceration experiment, I am proud of the work both Sabra and Roby do to help some of the most forgotten members of our society. The White House has rightly named them Champions of Change.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge and celebrate the month of March as Women's History Month. During this month, we recognize the many successes of women all across America and our Nation's history. I am proud to represent California's 33rd Congressional District, home to many female trailblazers such as Barbra Streisand who, in addition to her many accomplishments in the entertainment industry and her philanthropic contributions, is the first female director to receive Kennedy Center Honors and recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor. We also have Sherry Lansing, who was the first woman to head a major Hollywood studio, the first female studio chief to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the first woman to be named Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers. Then we have Michelle Kwan, who was born in my hometown of Torrance, an alumnus of UCLA, who is not only a 5-time world championship ice skater with two Olympic medals, but also serves as senior adviser to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, among many other roles. As we celebrate Women's History Month, let us continue to work to create equal opportunities for future generations of women.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Chair, I rise to oppose this bill. America is an exceptional nation. One of the reasons we are the best country in the world is that we believe in science and we believe in innovation. Our country has always believed in physics and in chemistry, and we trust scientists. The National Science Foundation has helped this country grow in terms of innovation and in terms of amazing scientific discoveries. It is not broken. So why are we trying to meddle with what the scientists have done? The chairman mentioned some examples of grants that sounded sort of funny. I understand that most of the Republican legislators do not believe in climate change, but the overwhelming majority of scientists do, as does the U.S. military, as does ExxonMobil today. One of the grants had to do with how people learn about climate change. That is vitally important because climate change is going to affect our children and our grandchildren. It is true that some of these grants sound funny. That is because scientists do all sorts of things that, to a layperson, may not be very obvious. Because I am not a scientist and because most people are not scientists, I think that is perfectly fine, that we don't have all sorts of redundant writings that explain what an experiment does. Let me give you one example that is on the NSF's Web site. One of the grants is to study funny-looking colored clay in France, blue-green clay in another country. It sounds like a really silly grant, doesn't it? It turns out that, when they looked at it, there were properties in this blue-green clay in France that kill bacteria, anti-bacterial properties that can help deal with MRSA, that can help deal with superbugs. This can be a groundbreaking grant, a groundbreaking discovery, but under this bill, it might have problems being funded. Ultimately, what this is really about and what I have learned now in Congress is that often we are very arrogant. We do not trust scientists. We do not trust the people in America. This is an arrogant bill that sort of says we know best, not the scientists who are doing peer reviews of what grants to fund, and that we know which experiment might do exactly what. It turns out, in science, lots of times scientists study one area and get a completely different, amazing discovery in a totally unrelated area. We need to fund basic science. We need to take our hands off this. We need to trust scientists and trust the people in America. Do not pass this bill. We are not that arrogant. We should not determine what scientists are to be doing and that we know better than they do, because we do not. I ask for opposition to this bill.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Absolutely.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Thank you. I look forward to working with you and Representative Tonko and others to make sure we invest in America.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Thank you for raising that issue. I will absolutely look into it. I am glad you brought it up. So let me look into that issue. I do want to say something about what Representative Tonko mentioned, which is the hundreds of water main breaks we have daily. That just shows a crumbling infrastructure. In America, in the 21st century, that should not be happening. What we saw in Flint and we are seeing in other cities across America is a result of disinvestment in our government, in cities and municipalities. You get what you pay for, and right now, we are getting children that are being poisoned with lead. So we need to increase investment. I will look into the issues you raised, Representative Garamendi. Thank you for highlighting these issues.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. You made some very good points. And, as you know, America is the leading economy in the world. Our GDP is greater than the next two countries combined. We certainly have the resources to make sure we don't poison our kids with lead in their water or other toxic material.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Right.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. We have various markups coming up. That is correct.

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Thank you, Representative Garamendi, for your work on clean water and for highlighting this issue in Flint, as well as in communities across America. I sit on the Oversight Committee. On February 3, we held a hearing on the Flint water crisis. Based on the information presented, it is clear to me that what happened in Flint was a crime of epic proportions. Tens of thousands of women, children, and men were poisoned when lead leached from lead pipes into the drinking water. Those who were most responsible know who they are. They should resign. Some of them should be prosecuted. We need to make sure that we do what is right for the residents of Flint, as well as other communities across America, and make sure this never happens again. It is clear that this is not an issue just in Flint, but the problem with toxic water is an issue across our Nation. Washington, D.C., had elevated levels of lead in 2000. Sebring, Ohio, now has elevated levels of lead. And there was a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2011 that showed 19 cities had toxic issues with their drinking water. There are a variety of solutions. First of all, we need to fund the CDC lead abatement program that had been cut by the Republican legislature in 2002. We need to restore funding and fully fund that program. We need to also make a strong investment in improving our water infrastructure. I sit on the Budget Committee. I will be putting in amendments to make sure that we increase funding to water infrastructure across America. And we need to look at alternatives to lead pipes. An article in Salon noted that we have many cities across America now using PVC pipes, also known as plastic pipes, as an eco-friendly alternative. Canadian and American cities have had success with these pipes. They last longer than metal pipes, over 100 years. They do not corrode. They do not leach, and they do not contain lead. What is happening in Flint, they are looking at a short-term solution, which is to recoat their lead pipes. I believe that is not acceptable. I believe the Governor needs to come in and replace all the lead pipes with a nonlead alternative. The mayor of Flint has called for full replacement. I support that. I know Representative Garamendi and others support that. I want to give great credit to the great work by Representative Kildee for his constituents in Flint. I also want to note that if we don't do something now, who knows whether your children or your grandchildren will be poisoned by lead in your drinking water. It is very important that we make enormous infrastructure investments, and the time to do that is now. Thank you again, Representative Garamendi, for highlighting this issue.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition and support of our close ally Taiwan as it prepares to conduct free, fair and democratic presidential elections. On January 16, 2016, the Taiwanese people will go to the polls in a tremendous display of the core democratic principle of self-determination. This year, we celebrated the 41st anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act, a law that has helped foster a deep bond between the U.S. and our ally in the Pacific. As the only Member of Congress born in Taiwan and as a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I am encouraged by our strong bilateral relations and the broad bipartisan support for Taiwan that exists in Congress today, and I look forward to expanding that relationship even further with the newly-elected president. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Taiwan a successful democratic and independent election.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have unveiled their new ideas for moving America forward, which include trying to repeal or undermine for the 62nd time the Affordable Care Act and for the 11th time attacking women's health care, both of which are guaranteed to be vetoed by President Obama. So one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. There will be no different result today. The Affordable Care Act will remain the law of the land, and Planned Parenthood will not be defunded. The Republicans know this. Because if the Affordable Care Act were actually to be repealed, over 22 million Americans would lose their health coverage, including 3.5 million Californians, and the Republicans have no plan for how they will fix this immediate healthcare crisis. In addition, millions more will lose healthcare access if Planned Parenthood were to be defunded. If you want to look at hyperpartisan bills that waste time, squander taxpayer resources, and are going nowhere, look at the GOP agenda. If you want ideas that will move America forward, such as investing in education, reducing carbon pollution, and creating jobs, look at the Democratic agenda. At least we are not insane.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent the hardworking, kind, and exceptionally creative people of California's 33rd District. I would like to recognize the brilliant work of one of my fantastic constituents: Steven Allan Spielberg, who was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. His films are adored and cherished by billions around the world. With directorial, production and writing credits for incredible films such as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ET, Poltergeist, Goonies, the Color Purple, Schindler's List, Amistad, Lincoln, Saving Private Ryan and Jurassic Park as well as the Indiana Jones movies, it is not surprising that Mr. Spielberg is the recipient of three Oscars, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and countless other awards and a myriad of prestigious nominations. He is the recipient of the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award and has been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany and as well as an honorary Knight Commanders of the Order of the British Empire for this work, amongst many other international honors. He is co-founder of Dreamworks Studios and Amblin Entertainment. I believe in no uncertain terms, that Mr. Spielberg is our generations' most significant creator in the field of film. He understands the importance cinematography has on our society-- especially on our children. That is why I commend his efforts in helping the National Boy Scouts of America develop a merit badge in cinematography. Mr. Spielberg has also taken his art and turned it into a passion for service, establishing the Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History at the University of Southern California to record testimonies of Holocaust survivors so that their stories may never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, for his timeless cinematographic accomplishments transforming modern film, our culture, and our history, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Mr. Steven A. Spielberg.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a constituent of California's 33rd Congressional District who is one of our nation's most gifted artists, and compassionate humanitarians. Barbra Joan Streisand, who was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. In the sixth decade of her career, Streisand has captivated generations of music and movie lovers, young and old alike. Through her creative work, Ms. Streisand has received countless honors including two Academy Awards, four Peabody Awards, eight Golden Globes, and the National Medal of Arts and Kennedy Center honors. Further, the three films she has directed to date have received 14 Oscar nominations. In 1984, Ms. Streisand became the first woman and only woman to win a Golden Globe for Best Director, which she won for the film Yentl. A long time record setter as a recording artist, her 1963 album entitled The Barbra Streisand Album amassed six nominations for Album of the Year and five for Record of the Year--more than any other female artist in history. Since then she has won a total of 10 Grammys and released 52 gold albums, 31 platinum albums and 18 multi-platinum albums, topping the list of album sales by a female singer. Yet Ms. Streisand's most enduring legacy is her tireless activism and generous philanthropic mission. Established in 1986, the Streisand Foundation has brought millions of dollars to ensure the legacy of numerous organizations promoting voter education, civil rights, higher education, veterans' assistance, and the preservation of our environment. Ms. Streisand's work on the crucial issues of climate change and healthcare have been exceptional, raising and contributing money to fight AIDS and heart disease, as exemplified by the recent naming of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ms. Streisand and her extraordinary achievements.

Mr. TED LIEU of California

Mr. TED LIEU of California. When California passed our landmark Global Warming Solutions Act, we had huge investments in green energy actually come into the State. California has now been a leader in green technology in terms of solar, in terms of biofuels and other technologies. If you want to do that, people do come to California. It really has helped to jump-start parts of our community. I agree with Representative Boyle. It is a false choice between the economy and climate mitigation. You can do both. I also do want to note that it is not just young people who realize this. You have also now organizations that you traditionally would not call progressive coming on board, saying that carbon pollution is a problem. You have got the Catholic Church saying that we need to address climate change now. You have got the U.S. military. One of the great things about our military is it is exceptional, it is amazing, because it actually deals with facts. The U.S. military takes the world as it is, not as they think it should be or in some fantasyland. When the U.S. military looked at the science and the facts, they said that this is a national security problem. We are having more severe weather events. We are going to have food shortages in other parts of the world causing migrations, causing conflicts. In terms of the U.S. military's own fuel use, it is very difficult to transport a lot of fuel over long distances. They are actually looking at renewables, at solar, at other renewable sources. Lastly, let me just say, as we stand here today, one of the world's largest oil companies, ExxonMobil, believes in climate change. They believe it is caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and they support a price on carbon. Now, we wish it didn't take them over three decades to come to this position, but that is their position today. Since they don't say it very loudly, I am going to say it very loudly. ExxonMobil believes in climate change. For those who don't, you may want to think what does that oil company know that you don't.