Jim Moran

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 506, and I wish to associate myself with the words of the gentlelady from Michigan, as well. Vaclav Havel was an iconic defender of democracy, a protector of human rights, and an inspiration to people all over the world in their struggle to assert human rights as a universal freedom. His writings and his activism were essential in bringing democracy to a region long plagued by the authoritarianism of a Communist dictatorship. In 1990, Mr. Havel was elected President of the former Czechoslovakia and later, in 1993, the Czech Republic. Under Mr. Havel's administration, the Czech Republic became and remains to this day a staunch ally of the United States. After his time in elected office, Mr. Havel continued to serve as a voice for the oppressed throughout the world and a champion of freedom until his death in 2011. This bust of Vaclav Havel in the United States Capitol is a very fitting tribute because it is a tribute to an international leader and a man whose works helped to reshape the map of the world and the hope for freedom and human rights throughout the world. I urge all the Members of this body to support H. Res. 506 unanimously, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the honoring of the 30th anniversary of the Alexandria Transit Company's (ATC) and the initiation of the city's DASH bus system. Mayor Charles ``Chuck'' Beatley was the champion and father of DASH, and had a vision over 30 years ago of a bus system that would serve the local transit needs of the community and provide high quality transit service to the residents, workers, and visitors of the City of Alexandria. The ATC Chairman of 22 years, Mr. William `` Bill'' B. Hurd shared the Mayor's vision and helped to create the organization that became so successful under his leadership; and who fostered a back-to- basics approach of operating safe and reliable service with clean buses and friendly and courteous drivers. The DASH transit plays a vital role in the city of Alexandria by providing clean, safe, affordable, and reliable transportation service every day to thousands of commuters, city residents, workers, and visitors. The total ridership over the past 30 years has increased by over 360%, with a total annual ridership of over four million, an average of 14,500 passengers riding DASH every weekday and 12,000 passengers riding on the weekends; and expanded service from 582,000 miles in the first full year of service to over 1.6 million miles today. I am pleased to say that DASH contributes to the quality of life and preserving the livability of Alexandria by mitigating traffic impacts, improving circulation and mobility throughout the city, and providing easier access to local businesses, retail and employment centers, residential developments, and to the regional Metrorail and the Virginia Railway Express commuter rail systems. Over the past four years, DASH has been purchasing environmentally friendly and low-floor hybrid electric buses and trolleys, which have provided great benefits including: reduced air pollutant emissions, reduced fuel consumption, increased transmission and brake life, and reduced engine noise, while improving accessibility and dwell times, and providing a smoother ride overall. Metro Magazine named DASH one of the ``10 Great Transit Systems to Work For,'' and the Alexandria Commission for Women recognized the DASH General Manager, Sandy Modell, with the Salute to Women Leadership in Business and Career Development Award. On behalf of the residents of the 8th Congressional District of Virginia, I congratulate the entire DASH bus system, its employees, and the Board of Directors, for their efforts and significant contributions to the Alexandria community to improve mobility and accessibility throughout the city, and for their achievements that have been recognized both nationally and by the Commonwealth of Virginia, in providing the highest quality of transit service to Alexandria residents, workers, and visitors, and in helping to make Alexandria a truly Livable, Green, and Prospering City.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the President submitted a very modest but responsible budget request. It contains a host of very good ideas that should move this country forward and that this Congress ought to embrace. For example, on both sides of the aisle, we agree that we ought to eliminate the waste of resources. But the greatest waste of resources is the waste of human potential, and it starts in the earliest years. So the President would extend access to prekindergarten education for all of our children, because he knows that that will enable us to have a far more prosperous economy and a more cohesive society, and he would pay for it with revenue from tobacco taxes--a great idea. Similarly, he would take the $4 billion in subsidies we give the oil and gas industry and invest it in new and cleaner alternative energy. He would take $300 billion and invest it in surface infrastructure. I was just over in Uzbekistan this month. They have a faster, more modern rail system than we do, as does China. Those are the kinds of good ideas that can move this country forward that this Congress should embrace.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, since the mid-1990's the authority to regulate the towing industry had been in limbo. Through a provision slipped into the Federal Aviation Administration Act of 1994 that defined the tow truck industry as an interstate carrier exempt from state and local regulation. One year later, passage of the Interstate Commerce Termination Act eliminated the federal regulatory body that oversaw the towing industry, leaving the industry without proper federal, state or local regulation. With no federal regulator, confusing restrictions and conflicting court rulings on what states and localities are permitted to regulate, no level of government has been able to adequately regulate the towing industry. This lack of regulatory authority has led to more than two decades of major consumer abuses by some unscrupulous towing companies. These bad operators have continued to taint an otherwise much needed and respectable profession. Complaints about exorbitant towing fees and abusive operators grew so bad that in 2005, Congress agreed, through an amendment to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--a Legacy of Users (SAFETEA-LU), to allow some limited state regulation in the area of non-consensual towing. The amendment also directed the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study to identify additional means to protect the rights of individuals whose vehicles are towed. That study offers some recommendations that track with conclusions I made several years ago, that consumers and tow truck operators would be better served by removing the last vestiges of federal preemption. It notes that consumers needing redress for overcharges today or other unfair treatment would: no longer be in the Catch-22 position of having their State case thrown out on preemption grounds only to find that they may have no real recourse at the Federal level either. Since business practies vary from place to place, it may also be more practical to have non-consensual towing regulated by the States rather than by the Federal Government. States are the more logical place to regulate towing. They already have an established body of law in place to do so. This bill would bring those laws back into effect by removing federal preemption and allow state and local governments the ability to establish common- sense, pro-consumer trespass towing protections for their residents. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. Richard Weston and to commemorate his retirement after more than 35 years of federal service. As a constituent of Virginia's 8th district, Dr. Weston earned a Ph.D. in Health Policy and his dissertation was nominated for the Harold Lasswell Prize of the American Political Science Association. Early in his career, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives under Rep. Ralph Metcalfe, of Chicago and Rep. Bennett Stewart, also of Chicago, and in the U.S. Senate under Sen. Charles Mathias, of Maryland and Sen. Paul Trible, of Virginia. Dr. Weston worked for the Secretary's Panel for the Evaluation of Epidemiological Research Activities and under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Energy. While at the General Accounting Office, Dr. Weston worked in the Program Evaluation and Methodology Division's Health Services Research Group. He has also worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Washington Office. Dr. Weston counts among his career highlights an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine; and considers his work this year on the chemical release at the Freedom Industries storage tank site on the Elk River near Charleston, West Virginia among the most rewarding he has done. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Dr. Richard Weston for his dedication to improving public health, and I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking him for his continued service.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the organization Good360. Companies like Good360 support philanthropy in a variety of ways--cash grants, marketing consultations, and employee volunteerism, just to name a few. More than ever before, companies are using their core resources to support community-based partners. Driven by the desire to maximize giving while minimizing waste, the majority of growth in the nonprofit sector has come from the donation of household items that directly impact the needs of American families. For-profit America plays an important role in addressing poverty, literacy and education, homelessness and many other social issues facing our country. The millions of nonprofit organizations across America rely on the donations of critically needed goods to continue the programs that are essential to helping those with uncertain futures get back on their feet. These programs are integral to strengthening our communities. Giving is not just restricted to consumer staples. Consumer discretionary companies and information technology companies also make sizable proportions of their contributions in the form of non-cash donations. Their corporate sustainability efforts maximize giving to American families and minimize the amount of unused or reusable goods going to landfills. With more than one in six Americans living in poverty and nonprofits struggling to maintain programs following significant federal and state budget cuts, the American business community plays a critical role in supporting the nonprofit programs needed to ensure that people and families in need overcome the challenges they face and are better able to pursue the American Dream. This month, let us look to a time when more businesses give back by donating goods to support people in need, to strengthen the communities in which they do business, and to reduce the amount of products that go into our landfills. I call upon all American companies and nonprofit organizations--small and large--to participate in activities that provide donated goods that are essential to strengthening communities across our nation. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Good360's contributions to the betterment of our community and the American people, and I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking them for their continued service.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, if you listen to the other side, you would think that the costs of the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to reduce global warming and to protect our environment are breaking the back of our economy, but that is hardly the case. What is really beginning to break the back of our economy is the costs associated with extreme weather events. From Hurricane Sandy to the droughts in the Midwest and the West, it is costing tens of billions of dollars every year, and it is getting worse. In fact, 10 years ago, the insurance industry estimated what the costs would be, and it was way less than it is today; and they acknowledge it is because of the effects of climate change. This applies to the Hartford Financial Services Group, AIG Prudential, and the Reinsurance Association of America. They all say that this is the footprint of climate change and that extreme weather conditions are going to get worse. So you have to ask yourself: If the insurance industry is acknowledging the presence of climate change, why can't the Congress? Will the majority of this House stay in denial that the climate is changing, that human activities are contributing to this change? Are they going to continue to play an obstructionist role, or are they going to act responsibly for the benefit of future generations? I hope it is the latter.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 31, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions made by Ms. Nancy Heimbaugh, who will retire from the Defense Logistics Agency in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on February 3, 2014. Ms. Heimbaugh's distinguished government career spans 37 years, and her record of achievement during this period reflects greatly upon herself and upon the organizations at which she has served, including her most recent role as DLA's Senior Procurement Executive/Component Acquisition Executive (SPE/CAE). Her contributions to the national defense were significant and she will be missed as she moves on to new and exciting opportunities. Ms. Heimbaugh, originally from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, entered the Federal service working for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, in 1976. There, she held a series of positions in purchasing and supply. In 1984 she became a contracting officer for the Naval Supply Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms. Heimbaugh attended Strayer University, and the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Services, and is the recipient of special achievement and performance awards, including the Exceptional Civilian Service Award in 2012, Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2007 and Vice President Gore's National Performance Review's Heroes of Reinvention Hammer Award for Electronic Commerce in 1996. In 1999, she was selected into the Defense Leadership and Management Program, a program designed to provide a Department of Defense framework for developing future civilian leaders. In 1991, Ms. Heimbaugh joined the Naval Supply Systems Command Headquarters as a senior procurement analyst providing contracting expertise and guidance to field contracting activities. Ms. Heimbaugh joined the Defense Logistics Agency in 2001 as a senior procurement analyst. Ms. Heimbaugh reached a career benchmark in 2007 with her selection into the Senior Executive Service as Director of Contracting and Acquisition Management at Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia; the first PLFA-level Acquisition Executive appointed in the Agency. She was responsible for managing an acquisition workforce generating $14 billion in awards across four supply chains. Ms. Heimbaugh then served as the Director of Contracting and Acquisition Management in 2009. Her leadership was epitomized by the Defense Logistics Agency's performance during Hurricane Sandy, when she personally cut through the red tape in the contracting process to ensure needed supplies and services were delivered to our fellow citizens in New York and New Jersey in record time. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Nancy Heimbaugh's contributions to the Defense Logistics Agency and the American people, and I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating her on her retirement from civil service. She epitomizes the dedication and professionalism that make our Federal civil service a model all over the world.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. I thank my good friend, the committee ranking member, for her leadership. Madam Speaker, this is a bill that should have been supported from the beginning. In fact--no offense to the Budget Committee--but if the Appropriations Committee had been given these numbers from the beginning, there wouldn't have been any sequester or shutdown or furloughs. We could have gotten this done because this is a package of chosen priorities and funding compromises. That is what we do in the Appropriations Committee. So that is why we ought to support it. In fact, we ought to have such a strong vote that we send a signal to all those ankle-biters and naysayers who say we can't get anything done. We are going to get this done. We are going to fund the agencies. On the Interior Subcommittee, we met all of our obligations. We repaid the fire costs that had been incurred last year. We provided sequester relief for every agency funded in this bill. Now there won't be any agency furloughs in 2014. Every agency is going to be able to carry out their important functions without the sword of sequestration hanging over them. It provides $5.8 billion more than that initial House allocation, which Chairman Rogers, himself, pointed out was inadequate. These numbers, while they are not as much as I wish they were, they are reasonable. It is a compromise. We are able to provide additional resources to a host of important programs, ranging from clean air and water, natural resources, Native Americans, and the arts. Just as important as what is included in this agreement is what is not included. Gone are a whole host of some of the worst environmental legislative riders that shouldn't be in the Appropriations Committee, that are more appropriate for the authorizers if they want to have that kind of a debate. Those aren't in this bill, and they didn't belong in this bill in the first place. I want to commend the gentleman from California, Ken Calvert, our new subcommittee chair. He is carrying on the very high standards set by the gentleman from Idaho, Mike Simpson. We like to work together when we are given a reasonable allocation. That is the way this Congress, as a whole, ought to work. I want to thank Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Lowey, and all of my colleagues on the committee. I particularly want to thank the Appropriations staff. They worked every day through the holidays. One member of the staff had a gallbladder operation, and she didn't miss any work. They were in every weekend. They deserve the round of applause, so let's give it to them.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, most Americans this week felt as though they were living on the North Pole. There was a condition called ``the polar vortex'' that became part of our common vernacular. Normal routines were disrupted. Schools closed, water mains ruptured, car batteries failed, and, tragically, weather-related deaths went up. So it didn't take long for conservative commentators to offer this cold weather phenomenon as proof that the planet isn't warming, that this is all a hoax or some left-wing liberal ideology. But the fact is that scientists have told us that the real and measurable decline of Arctic sea ice that is the direct result of warmer weather and climate change is creating this polar vortex that allows weather conditions that normally remain fixed over the Arctic to spin out of control. They slip south and they subject us to Arctic-like weather conditions. Now, this is a fact that we need to recognize and do something about or weather conditions are going to become far more common and far more severe.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, our lives will go on, but the life of the world community was forever changed by the life of Nelson Mandela, who passed away this week. He chose the principles of truth and reconciliation and democracy and peace through justice to guide his life, and he was willing to give his life for those principles. It is unfortunate that the United States didn't support world sanctions against South Africa. I would hope if we had the opportunity to oppose apartheid wherever it exists throughout the world again that we would follow the lead of Nelson Mandela. Treating people differently because of their race or their class or their religion is simply wrong. The way that we honor Nelson Mandela best is to follow his principles. He transformed this world. We have the opportunity now to learn from his life and to follow his principles.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Marguerete Luter for her outstanding work with the Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Chapter, for improving the lives of lupus patients and their families and friends. Lupus is a life-altering disease and more widespread than most people realize. One out of every 200 Americans is affected, 90 percent of which are women. African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans are all two to three times more likely to develop lupus, a disparity that remains unexplained. Lupus patients spend two to three times more on medical care than those without the disease. That multiplier skyrockets to over six times if lupus affects the kidneys. Lupus can damage any organ, including the skin, the lungs, the heart, the kidney and the brain. No organ is spared. The disease can cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages, and organ failure. Lupus can be particularly difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to those of many other illnesses, and major gaps exist in understanding the causes and consequences of the disease. More than half of all people with lupus experience symptoms four or more years and visit three or more doctors before obtaining a correct diagnosis. A lack of awareness of the disease contributes to many people dismissing early warning signs of lupus, which can have serious health risks and greatly impact a person's quality of life. The Lupus Foundation of America, greater Washington chapter, was formed in 1974 to help those affected by lupus. The foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for lupus patients through education, community outreach, and research. It is through the financial support of members and the dedication of its volunteers that the Lupus Foundation is able to work with the thousands of lupus patients, their families and friends, and the medical community to work towards its eradication. One of those dedicated volunteers is Marguerete Luter of Arlington County, who has been honored as the 2013 Pamela B. Greenberg Volunteer of the Year. Ms. Luter currently serves on the Board and is Immediate Past Board Chair. Over her more than six years on the LFA-DMV Board of Directors, Ms. Luter worked tirelessly to ensure the growth and sustainability of the organization. Her passion to help members of the lupus community is evident through her commitment and participation at chapter events, including the Lupus educational summits and Walk to End Lupus Now events. Ms. Luter has been an instrumental asset to the planning of the Chapter's Annual Gala and Luncheon and I rise today to recognize all her hard work and dedication to such an important cause.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, for 100 consecutive days, the Safe Climate Caucus has brought to the House floor the reality and the ramifications of climate change. There was a recent report from three very reputable think tanks, entitled, ``The Arab Spring and Climate Change.'' Let me just quote from a couple of the troubling but illuminating conclusions that it comes to. A prolonged and severe drought during the winter of 2010 in China ``contributed to global wheat shortages and skyrocketing bread prices in Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer,'' accelerating political instability . . . And in another part of the report, in quotes, ``social, economic, environmental, and climate changes in Syria . . . eroded the social contract between citizen and government . . . strengthening the case for the opposition movement and irreparably damaging the legitimacy of the Assad regime.'' The authors conclude that global warming may not have caused the Arab Spring but that it clearly made it come earlier. The stresses climate change is imposing today on nations across the globe are harbingers of more severe consequences in the future. We have to address the reality and the ramifications of climate change now.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in welcoming King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Washington. Support for good US relations with Morocco is a matter that has achieved longstanding, bipartisan support. On Friday, November 22, 2013, King Mohammed VI will meet with President Obama at the White House for discussions designed to deepen the two countries' long friendship and strategic partnership. The friendship between our two countries goes back to 1777 when Morocco's Sultan Mohammed III, the current king's namesake, was the first head of state, and Morocco the first country, to recognize the new United States. Morocco was also the first country to sign a Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the United States. Negotiations for this treaty began in 1783 and the draft was signed in 1786. Future Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the American signatories. The treaty was subsequently presented to the Senate, which ratified it on July 18, 1787, making it the first treaty ever to receive U.S. Senate ratification. The treaty provided for the United States' diplomatic representation in Morocco and commerce at any Moroccan port on the basis of ``most favored nation status.'' It also established the principle of non- hostility when either country was engaged in a war with any other nation. President George Washington wrote to Sultan Mohammed III on December 1, 1789: ``It gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity of assuring your majesty that I shall not cease to promote every measure that may conduce to the friendship and harmony which so happily subsist between your empire and these United States.'' U.S. relations with Morocco have strengthened in the years following this historic treaty. During World War I, Morocco was aligned with the Allied forces, and in 1917 and 1918 Moroccan soldiers fought valiantly alongside U.S. Marines at Chateau Thierry, Mont Blanc and Soissons. During World War II, Moroccan national defense forces aided American and British troops in the region. In January 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Roosevelt and Free French Commander Charles de Gaulle met for four days in the Anfa neighborhood of Casablanca to develop ongoing strategies against the Axis powers. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower sent a letter to Moroccan King Mohammed V to the effect that ``my government renews its wishes for the peace and prosperity of Morocco.'' The King responded by assuring President Eisenhower that Morocco would be a staunch ally against the proliferation of Communism in the region. Morocco was one of the first nations to express its solidarity with the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The United States subsequently expressed its sympathies and support for Morocco when terrorists conducted major attacks in Morocco. The United States and Morocco have a Free Trade Agreement and in September 2012, the U.S. and Morocco launched a Strategic Dialogue--the first such U.S. dialogue with a Maghreb nation--to advance common interests on political, economic, security, and educational and cultural affairs. A bipartisan majority in both the House and Senate have signed letters in support of Morocco's desire to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Western Sahara through negotiations designed to ensure Moroccan sovereignty, while providing the inhabitants with autonomy. In 2009, 244 Members of the House signed such a letter. The following year, 54 Senators signed a letter expressing their support for such a negotiated process designed to end the conflict. This rich history of friendship and cooperation sets the stage for the visit to the White House by King Mohammed VI. The visit is a result of President Obama's personal invitation to the North African monarch, who will be meeting the President for the first time. In announcing the visit, the White House issued a statement declaring: ``This visit will highlight the long-standing friendship between the United States and Morocco and strengthen our strategic partnership. The President looks forward to discussing a range of issues of mutual interest with King Mohammed VI, including support for Morocco's democratic and economic reforms. This visit is also an opportunity to increase our cooperation on addressing regional challenges, including countering violent extremism, supporting democratic transitions, and promoting economic development in the Middle East and Africa.'' I join with my colleagues in Congress in welcoming the King to Washington in the firm belief that this visit will reinforce the special relationship between our two nations.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the passing of Mr. Ataollah Rezvani, a Baha'i community leader in the port city of Bandar Abbas, Iran. In late August, Mr. Rezvani was found murdered in his car on the outskirts of the city, a gunshot to the back of his head. Before his death, he was subject to persistent threats and intimidation from agents of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. And ultimately, his steadfast refusal to submit or cower in the face of this oppression resulted in the loss of his livelihood and his life. His only crime was the practice of his faith. Over the last several months, the Iranian regime has taken a new and welcome posture toward the resolution of the nuclear issue. While the talks between Iran and the P5-plus-1 have not yielded an agreement, we are in a better position to come to a sustainable agreement than ever before. These efforts are welcome. However, Iran's steps toward reconciling with the global community must be paired with progress on human rights at home, and an end to religious-based persecution of Iran's Baha'i and other minority communities. Although the Iranian authorities released 91 political prisoners in recent months, not a single Baha'i was among them. Instead, 115 Baha'is remain imprisoned, solely because of their faith, including the leadership of the ``Yaran-i-Iran,'' or ``Friends in Iran.'' The seven leaders of this group, which oversaw the welfare of the Iranian Baha'i community, have now each served five years of their 20-year sentences-- the longest sentences given to any prisoner of conscience in Iran. Dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government has implemented a program of active, systematic discrimination against the Baha'i community. As a result, the Baha'i have been reduced to second-class citizens within their own country, stripped of their property, denied access to an education, and deprived of the freedom to worship. All human beings are entitled to these liberties, not simply because of a statute or a constitution. Rather, these are the basic human rights of every person, regardless of race, color, or creed, by virtue of our very humanity. It is my fervent hope that Iran's leadership will move forward towards rapprochement with the international community, but we must also see progress toward internal reform, and a restitution of rights to all minority communities and the Baha'i citizens of Iran particularly.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (NVBCC) and the Global Business Network Association (GBNA) on five years of dedicated achievement, and to recognize the Celebration Gala and Awards Dinner being held to commemorate this auspicious occasion. This year not only marks a milestone for both organizations, it signals the emergence of an improving economy five years after the economic strife that impacted the globe. The Celebration Gala and Awards Dinner will honor the achievements of business leaders and young scholars in our region who are significantly contributing to a more robust economy and vibrant business community. The NVBCC is creating opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs to build networks, obtain practical professional development, and gain the skills to strategically grow companies. The Chamber delivers products and services designed to maximize investment, including networking events, seminars, and resources, connecting members, companies, fellow entrepreneurs, public and private leaders who can help advance businesses and inform on the economic, legal, policy, social, cultural and other factors that impact black-owned businesses. GBNA is a regional network of business and nonprofit leaders that represents all industry sectors. Founded in 2007, GBNA's membership consists of start-up and experienced entrepreneurs and businesses. GBNA has assisted the local business community by working to bring the issues and concerns of small businesses to the forefront to the national economic agenda. Mr. Speaker, we applaud the work of these two venerable institutions in Northern Virginia, and send our best wishes for a successful celebration dinner.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions made by Virginia Gallup Larsen, M. Ed., M.A./ CAGS in improving the lives of children and families across the City of Alexandria and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ms. Larsen is a 17-year resident of Arlington and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist with 20 years of experience working with diverse populations in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. She was recently named 2013 Virginia School Psychologist of the Year by the National Association of School Psychologists. Ms. Larsen is the first school psychologist from the City of Alexandria, where she is in her 13th year with Alexandria City Public Schools. Ms. Larsen's wide area of expertise allows her to offer a host of comprehensive services to a diverse student population. Areas of expertise include: conducting psychological and educational evaluations, functional behavior assessments, pre-referral intervention consultations, and treatment assessments. She is deeply admired by her colleagues and the families she works with for her dedication and expertise. After personally observing persistent problems caused by bullying, Ms. Larsen responded by securing a grant to implement the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. She launched the program in a single school before advocating for its expansion to serve all Alexandria's students. She is now a bullying and violence prevention consultant across the Alexandria school system, providing dozens of free bullying prevention workshops. Ms. Larsen, in conjunction with physical education teacher Kathy Chmura, worked to establish the Run for Fun program at James K. Polk Elementary School to address the problem of childhood obesity. The program creates an enjoyable physical activity that encourages children to establish healthy lifestyles, set personal goals, increase stamina, and form friendships outside of school. Ms. Larsen directed and managed the Alexandria City division of the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area research project, where she facilitated the treatment component of an intensive outpatient treatment program. She provided therapy to clients and served as a program link to more and less restrictive services. I am deeply proud of the lasting contributions made by Virginia Gallup Larsen, along with the other hard-working and dedicated Alexandria City Public Schools employees. She is representative of what those working in this under recognized, yet truly essential profession, should strive to attain.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions of Cecilia Cassidy and to commemorate her retirement after 21 years of service to the community of Rosslyn. As executive director of Rosslyn Renaissance, Ms. Cassidy was crucial in growing the member-based organization from a small core of volunteers to a respected business organization. Rosslyn Renaissance eventually merged with the Arlington Business Improvement District, BID, in 2012, and the majority of the programs Ms. Cassidy created while at Renaissance were implemented at the BID. In 2003, Ms. Cassidy worked with property owners, the business community, the County Manager's Office and Arlington Economic Development to help create the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, BID. The first BID in Northern Virginia, Rosslyn BID was formed to enhance development and growth through highlighting the uniqueness and strengths of Arlington's Rosslyn neighborhood. Her leadership as executive director of the BID paved the way for an influx of residential, retail, and dining offerings, which have transformed Rosslyni into a vibrant, dynamic, and more livable community. Today Rosslyn is a more walkable and drivable community; home to a number of award-winning living spaces. Ms. Cassidy was instrumental in bringing Artisphere to Rosslyn. In order to make Arlington Counties' vision for Artisphere possible, BID pledged $1 million in start-up revenue and $300,000 annually for the life of the center. The state-of-the-art cultural center cemented Rosslyn as the cultural capital of Arlington. Under the leadership of Ms. Cassidy, the Rosslyn BID garnered a number of awards including three from the International Downtown Association, one for urban placemaking for Central Space, and one in marketing for ROSSLYN magazine. Ms. Cassidy has said that one of her proudest accomplishments as executive director of the BID was working with local partners to provide services for the homeless. Rosslyn BID is one of the only BIDs in the nation to provide homeless services.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon, Peter DeFazio, the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. So here we are, Mr. Speaker. We are 14 days into the government shutdown, the shutdown that has cost this country money, has created enormous anxiety on the part of the Federal workforce, the contract workforce, the entire country. In fact, there was a meeting of all of the leaders of the world over in Asia, and we weren't there because of the government shutdown. The Chinese, of course, took advantage of it. Both the President and the Prime Minister were over at this meeting of world leaders, trying to suggest to them that it is time that the world became ``de- Americanized''--I think that was their term--because we can't get our act together. We can't even fund our own government. We can't even decide whether or not we are going to pay off our debts on time. And all of this, apparently, we are told, Mr. Speaker, was an idea that came from the Ted Cruz Tea Party wing of the Republican majority to shut down the government until they could have their way on what they call ``ObamaCare.'' Even though President Obama ran on the Affordable Care Act, which is its proper name, and was elected with 5 million more votes, still, they wanted to stop it, to gut it, to gut its principal provisions. So here we are, 14 days into a government shutdown, which is really an embarrassment to the entire institution, but it certainly ought to be to the House majority. It is ironic with this particular bill because there are 579,000 uninsured American Indians and Alaska Natives, and they would get coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Nine out of 10 of them are likely to qualify for financial assistance either through tax credits or by purchasing coverage in the marketplace where you would get cost-sharing reductions, eliminate their out-of- pocket costs, or through an expansion of Medicaid if their States choose to do that. So the vast majority of them--undoubtedly, hundreds of thousands--would be better off if we were not only to not have shut down the government, but certainly by our making available to them the Affordable Care Act. So how ironic that here we are with a mini bill, suggesting that we will fund a small share of the Interior Department to take care of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Obviously, we should be taking care of Native Americans--it should be our highest priority--and I know it has been for the chairman of the Interior and the Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, my good friend from Idaho, and our colleagues on that subcommittee, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Cole, a number of them. We have all agreed it ought to be a priority, but we also have a bill that needs to get passed. We have other agencies that need to be funded. If we were to continue in this manner, we would get the Interior Department funded by Halloween. That is not the way to do business. In fact, this bill doesn't fund Native American education programs and the Department of Education. It doesn't fund the law enforcement programs at the Department of Justice that carry out the Violence Against Women Act, which was a key component. Thanks to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), the Violence Against Women Act that we passed makes sure that Native American women are protected. It doesn't fund Native American social service programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. They don't get the child care and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families that they would otherwise get. It doesn't fund Native American housing programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Almost 100 percent of HUD employees are furloughed. It doesn't fund the Native American employment and training programs at the Department of Labor, the Native American environmental programs at the Environmental Protection Agency. It doesn't fund the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, which oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. It doesn't fund the Special Trustee for American Indians, which administers $3.7 million in tribal funds and more than $700 million in individual Indian accounts. It doesn't fund the Office of Navajo-Hopi Relocation, which administers the relocation settlement activities that arose from land disputes between the Navajo and Hopi tribes. It doesn't fund the Institute of American Indian Arts or the Native American water rights activities. It doesn't do what we need to do, which is to fund the Interior appropriations bill. So I have to ask the majority, since this bill only funds three agencies which represent 0.7 percent of the domestic discretionary budget, what are we going to do with the other 99 percent of the domestic discretionary budget? What about our other Federal obligations to Native Americans? What about their housing and their childcare services and their legal protections? This bill doesn't take care of that. It still leaves 50,000 Interior Department employees still furloughed. Even if this bill were to be enacted--which we all know it won't until the government opens--there is no money for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for new offshore oil drilling permits. There is no money for the Bureau of Land Management, which processes lease sales and permits for onshore oil and gas and coal and other mineral permits. They run the wild horse and burro adoption program. They award the timber sales. No money for that. No money for the Fish & Wildlife Service so they can manage visitors to our national refuges. No money for hunting or fishing permits. What about the Forest Service? Mr. Speaker, I would like to say this was well-intended, but I know that it is an attempted Band-Aid to hide the real problem, which is the government is shut down. We need to open it.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Here we go again. Each day, the gaping wound that the government shutdown represents grows bigger, and the House Republican response continues to be these little Band-Aids. Of course, we on the Democratic side want to see all Native American programs funded. The other side knows that. In fact, this has been one area in which we have achieved bipartisan agreement. Both Chairman Simpson--and I want to particularly mention Mr. Cole on our subcommittee--I, and Ms. McCollum have tried to put as much money as possible, given very severe fiscal constraints, into Native American programs; but this bill that is on the floor today, in fact, doesn't serve its stated purpose. We are going to hear from House Republicans as to what this latest Band-Aid temporarily funds, but here are just some of the Native American programs and offices that are not funded by this resolution: Native American education programs that are funded by the Department of Education; Native American law enforcement programs that are funded by the Department of Justice, including the programs to carry out the Violence Against Women Act. That is an area in which we had achieved, finally, bipartisan agreement. This doesn't allow us the funds to carry out that program. Native American social services programs that are so important to the American Indians, particularly on our reservations, are not funded by this bill. It includes child care and temporary assistance to needy families because they are funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. It includes Native American housing programs that are funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD has the highest percentage--almost 100 percent--of its employees who are furloughed still. What is this--the 11th day, Mr. Speaker? That was a rhetorical question. While this resolution temporarily funds the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, it fails to fund the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, which oversees those agencies. So we are not even willing to fund the office that is responsible for managing the programs that we purport to fund today. What about the Office of the Special Trustee, which administers $3.7 billion in tribal funds and $728 million in individual Indian accounts? That is not funded either. So let's not be deluded that this is going to fix the situation with regard to our Native Americans. That is why a number of tribes have opposed this way of doing it. They want all of the government to open up because it is their government as well. Mr. Speaker, the underlying basis for the Republican shutdown of the government has been an irrational and intransigent opposition to the Affordable Care Act. That is how it started. House Republicans voted 43 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. At the same time, they were voting to repeal the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Every time the other side voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they were voting to repeal the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Act as well as voting to repeal many new programs that are contained in the Affordable Care Act which are designed to assist the Indian Health Service in meeting its mission to raise the health status of Native Americans. These 43 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the shutting down of government is all the more disheartening because we on the Subcommittee on Interior and Environment have so strongly supported Native American programs. Now, unlike what we have seen in the last week--that of certain Members who have marched the floor to claim support for the NIH and Head Start, all of which we strongly support--even as Members have pushed sequester and proposed additional cuts to these programs in 2014 on the other side, this subcommittee has the bipartisan commitment to Native American programs. That is something we should be proud of. This subcommittee, I know, does not want to go about funding Native American programs in this manner. It is a halfhearted, Band-Aid approach. It is wrong. We need to fund all Native American programs. We need to fund all of the Federal Government. It is long past time for this shutdown to end, so let's release all of the Federal employees who have been taken hostage. Let's reopen the people's government. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to now yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from New York, Nita Lowey, the ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire as to how much time remains for both sides in the debate.

Mr. MORAN. At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Minnesota, Ms. Betty McCollum, the chair of the Indian Caucus.