Gwen Moore

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise to discuss one of the most important issues facing our country today: the deficit. We all acknowledge that our current path is unsustainable. Revenue is at its lowest level in 60 years. Continuing with trillion dollar deficits year after year is an untenable position. The interest alone on this debt is over $400 billion for FY2010. However, I have the privilege of serving in this House for the distinct purpose of looking out for the most vulnerable in our society. I represent Milwaukee, which is the fourth most poverty stricken nation in the country. Looking down the road, it is clear to me that if we make permanent $3 trillion in Bush era tax cuts it will be those families that don't even have enough tax liability to benefit from that policy who will pay the consequences. Consider this: the annual deficit for 2010 is approximately $1.3 trillion. Simply adding an additional $3.7 trillion over the next decade, which will be the total bill when we enact all of the Bush tax cuts, is completely irresponsible. I know for a certainty that if we continue down this fiscal path we will be forced into a position in which programs such as homelessness prevention, school lunches for the poor, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, unemployment benefits, and even Medicare for the elderly will be slashed. I simply cannot stand by and help advance that agenda.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council as it celebrates its 100th Anniversary. The Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council was created in July, 1910, in order to represent all working men and women in the trades living in the Greater Milwaukee area. The Council constantly works to assist the local unions it represents, by ensuring justice on the job, achieving the highest wages and fringe benefits possible, and providing quality work for the customer. Milwaukee Building Trades' quality efforts have proven to be effective. The former presidents listed below have worked tirelessly to fulfill the Milwaukee Building Trades' mission: Peter Schoemann (1932-1952), John Zancanaro (1953-1973), James Elliott (1974-1996), and Lyle Balistreri (1996-present). Under their leadership, the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council truly built Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council helped to make numerous construction initiatives possible. Such community-enhancing projects include: Petit National Ice Center, Bradley Center, Miller Park, Elm Road Generating Station, & the Marquette Interchange. This organization has provided countless opportunities for members of the Milwaukee community. Promoting apprenticeship programs and training has developed workers capable of addressing the many varied and future labor needs of Milwaukee. Participating in labor-management projects and initiatives has left an excellent example for future building trades leaders. Members of the Milwaukee Building Trades can be proud of the work they do, and have helped shape southeastern Wisconsin. After one-hundred years of service, the Council deserves praise for its dedication to the labor industry. By exemplifying the balance between collaboration and solidarity, Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council maintains solid working relationships throughout the industry. Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to congratulate the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council for one-hundred years of exemplary leadership for local unions and dedication to developing projects in the Fourth Congressional District and the State of Wisconsin.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Lester Cart, recipient of the James Baker Award from the Milwaukee Community Brainstorming Conference (CBC). The CBC was established to inform the community about a range of facts, issues, and solutions that relate to the well-being of the African American community. The forum offers a venue for interaction between policy makers and the community and an opportunity for the community to express their needs and expectations. Dr. Carter has been the owner and pharmacist of Carter's Drug Store for over 43 years and is located in the heart of the inner city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He provides a holistic approach to his services, distributing a combination of standard pharmaceuticals and natural remedies to his clients. Dr. Carter is an expert on herbology and pharmacognosy which is the study of medicines derived from natural sources. In fact, he has developed special trademarked ointments, solutions and compounds available only at his pharmacy. Individuals from the entire metro Milwaukee area and throughout the country, from all nationalities swear by and purchase his formularies. Dr. Carter graduated from Creighton University's School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions in 1958; he was the only African American in his graduating class. After graduation, Dr. Carter worked for a pharmacy in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska formulating pills and ointments at the back of the store. There he honed skills he would later use to create his own medicines because the owner was afraid to allow him to serve white customers at the front of the store. In 1967, he moved to Wisconsin and six months later he opened his own pharmacy. Dr. Carter's interests and impact reaches far beyond just filling prescriptions. He is very much aware of the health disparities facing African Americans and has used his extensive knowledge to help the community with health care problems ranging from healthy eating habits to diabetes. In fact, Dr. Carter is a certified diabetes educator and stocks his pharmacy with books about diet and herbology, old fashioned mouthwash, ointments and soaps. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues of the 111th Congress to join me in congratulating Dr. Lester Carter on receiving the James Baker Award. Dr. Lester Carter continues to provide immeasurable support and care to the African American Community and the Greater Milwaukee Community at large. I am proud that Dr. Carter is a resident of the 4th Congressional District and applaud his lifetime of accomplishments and success.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to a dear friend, a mentor, a legislator, a community organizer, a loving husband and father to his family. Dismas Becker was a man of faith and that unshakeable faith remains with us even with his passing. Dismas Becker was a former activist priest who was in the forefront of the civil rights movement during the tumultuous 1960's. Along with the well-known activist Father James Groppi, Dismas participated in welfare rights demonstrations, open housing marches, and publicly defended Father Groppi's efforts to organize demonstrations in support of these causes. In October 1969, Dismas was beaten by police while occupying the chambers of the State Assembly in Madison, to protest welfare funding cutbacks. Dismas Becker's sermons were filled with anti-war sentiment and the fight for civil rights that brought complaints from some parishioners. The dissent did not sway Dismas from this calling. In fact, speaking in 1969 Dismas said, ``If you do find yourself in a conflict between you and society and you do not dissent, you are not a Christian.'' He later left the priesthood, but did not leave his activism behind. Dismas Becker went on to serve in other roles, including as a state representative in the Legislature and was eventually chosen as the Majority Leader in the Assembly by his fellow Democrats in 1984. Dismas Becker married an amazing woman, Fay Anderson, who was active in the local Democratic Party, and was an alderperson in her own right. He adopted her children and they adopted a son of their own. He never stopped working on behalf of those who needed it most. With his own personal ministry never wavering, he reached out to the downtrodden, and to people who were going in the wrong direction, to help them turn a corner. Madam Speaker, for these many reasons I rise in tribute to Dismas Becker. He reached out to me, then a young woman with 3 children and encouraged me throughout his lifetime. In 1988, he decided to run for the State Senate. Dismas Becker suggested, pushed, and encouraged me with love to run for his Assembly seat. I am here today due in no small part to the incredible commitment of this loving and giving human being. I will miss my beloved friend, Dismas Becker, and he will be missed by the entire community.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Dominique Paul Noth and the Milwaukee Labor Press. The Milwaukee Labor Press provides news, features, commentary, and information on important issues and events. In late August, editor Dom Noth and the Labor Press won the most multiple awards in the history of the International Labor Communications Association. The Milwaukee Labor Press has continued its legacy of excellence by proving successful in the most intense and prestigious North American contest for all labor publications. As the second largest home-delivered newspaper in Wisconsin, the Labor Press consistently speaks honestly to its readers. The ILCA awarded the Labor Press First Place, General Excellence among all state and central council publications. ILCA praised the Labor Press for ``Quirky and interesting writing, [. . .] makes points without being preachy.'' MilwaukeeLabor.org the website of the Labor Press' publisher, Milwaukee Area Labor Council, received First Place General Excellence Internet. News, Take Action, events, and original content by Dominique Noth are featured on the website. Dominique is an intrepid seeker of newsworthy information, camera at the ready, quotes in context forming in his mind. Last December's examination of the health care debate in the article, ``Heeding the Human Cost,'' was honored with the First Place Saul Miller Award. Noth attributes this success to diverse opinions of union and community members in a no-holds-barred forum on health legislation. Judges cited the story as candid and heartfelt writing which ``debunks the opposition's argument attacking the need for health reform.'' Third Place Award for Special Performance (best editorial or column) went to the Labor Press for ``City Should Sink Its Own Breed of Water Pirates'' which highlighted the privatization of public services. The article shed light on a significant issue for labor unions across the country. Madam Speaker, I am proud to say the Milwaukee Labor Press provides a significant avenue for discussion for the people of the Fourth Congressional District. Thanks in no small part to Dominique Noth; the Labor Press' continual excellence is based on its open-minded, intelligent, and relatable examination of pressing labor issues that impact the whole community. I applaud Dominique Noth and the Milwaukee Labor Press for their success in such a competitive and prestigious contest.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stephen B. Falek, Associate Director for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, who will retire in October, 2010, after 38 years of distinguished service. He has been a tireless advocate to provide affordable housing opportunities to my constituency. Families in my district and throughout the state have benefited from his efforts to create ``green'' facilities, develop homeownership programs, provide resources to serve low-income families, and expand programs to serve our veterans, homeless, elderly and disabled, and mentally challenged. As Assistant Director, Mr. Falek is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a multitude of public housing units, multi-family market rate rental housing, and a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. His advocacy can be seen on the local and national levels. His particular interest in addressing the needs of often overlooked populations led to the development of a Single Room Occupancy facility for the homeless. Mr. Falek reunited families by securing a number of housing opportunities for homeless or transitional parents who would have otherwise lost custody of their children if they did not have a home. In addition, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he ensured that Milwaukee opened its doors to evacuees. He created a task force with various government agencies to make sure that these evacuees were assisted quickly. In 2009, he received the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) M. Justin Herman Award for Lifetime Achievement, which honors an exceptional individual who has made outstanding contributions to the quality of life through service in the field of housing or community development. He continued his noteworthy role as a leader by participating on boards and committees. His contributions are well known within NAHRO, the North Central Regional Council of NAHRO, and the State of Wisconsin Association of Housing Authorities (WAHA). Mr. Falek was a key figure in creating the WAHA State Chapter and made Wisconsin one of the strongest chapters. Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to pay tribute to Stephen B. Falek who leaves behind a wonderful legacy of leadership and community building in the Fourth Congressional District and State of Wisconsin.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend, a dear former colleague and mentor to new legislators and a great stateswoman, Rep. Annette Polly Williams. She is the longest serving woman in the history of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Rep. Williams is retiring from public office after 30 years of outstanding service to her constituents. Affectionately known as Polly, she was born in the Mississippi Delta region of Belzoni, Mississippi and moved to Milwaukee when she was 10 years old. She is a product of the public school system and fellow graduate of North Division High School. Rep. Williams is committed to ensuring that all children receive access to a good education. Out of her passion to and commitment for education, she became the author/ mother of the nation's first true Educational Parental Choice Legislation. Rep. Williams has made her mark in other areas. She founded the Black Women's Network, the Milwaukee Parental Assistance Center; the Black Leadership Organization. Further, she was the co-founder of the African American Alliance providing political leadership to Milwaukee's African American community; founding member of the Wisconsin African American Women's Center; and served as the co-host for the ``Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club'' on a local radio station for many years. Polly is a treasure to our community and will continue her service to those in need. Whether it is someone who has lost a loved one, experienced a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina or local flooding, Polly will be there providing compassion and support. Madam Speaker, I urge you and my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in a salute to Rep. Annette Polly Williams. We wish her well in a retirement that is full of new challenges.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, this is a vitally important bill. In my state of Wisconsin alone, it will save the jobs of 2000- 3000 teachers. With the school year right around the corner, it is essential that we keep these teachers in our schools--where our children need them. This legislation will also ensure that some of the most vulnerable in our society continue to receive Medicaid while protecting states from drastic cuts to their budgets. Without this Medicaid assistance, states would be forced to lay off more workers, cut more services, and raise taxes more than they would otherwise to balance their budgets. However, I am outraged by a reduction in Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that is used to pay for this measure. Those who receive the meager SNAP benefits are the most poor and the most vulnerable in our society. Currently, 6 million Americans receiving SNAP report that they have no other source of income. In my district, about 20 percent of all people and 38 percent of children are SNAP beneficiaries. Before this bill was considered, I offered an amendment to the Rules Committee that would have ameliorated the SNAP cut. My amendment would have rescinded $2.972 billion in unspent Race to the Top funds in order to provide an additional year of more adequate SNAP benefits. Race to the Top funds benefit only a few chosen students and schools while on the other hand saving teacher positions benefits the masses of children who would face larger class sizes and cuts to vital programs such as libraries, computers, and gym classes. This is just one example of a more appropriate offset than cutting SNAP. While I support the bill on the floor today, I abhor this cut and will work to restore it.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Rahall for yielding and including in his manager's amendment a provision I authored that would ensure that citizens living in the gulf coast region will be able to have input into the work of the Gulf Coast Restoration Task Force. The Citizens Advisory Board, called for in my amendment, would not be filled with energy industry representatives and scientists but, rather, with individuals, such as the fishermen who have been put out of business, the hotel owner along the beach which now has more tar balls than tourists, and citizens in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida who simply want to have their beaches, wetlands, waters back to support their livelihoods, their health, and their enjoyment. Restoring the environmental and natural resources in the gulf will be a long and arduous task. My amendment simply makes it clear that the input of those most impacted by this disaster, the residents of the States and the region, should be a priority.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer clarification for my vote in favor of H.R. 5827, the Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act of 2010. I have tremendous respect for our nation's Constitution. In 12 other states around the country, including my own state of Wisconsin, there are already State protections for gun ownership during bankruptcy proceedings. When the Federal Government, and other States, already give basic protections for personal property like jewelry and musical instruments, I believe that it is fundamentally unfair to deny a second amendment protected item from being included in this list. I do, however, want to be clear that I remain steadfast in my support for the ability of the Federal Government, States, and cities to regulate firearms. There have been too many times that we have seen preventable deaths from guns that end up in the wrong person's hands. Representing the City of Milwaukee, I know first hand how important it is to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and others that cause harm and undermine safety in our communities. Within the last few years, six police officers were shot in my district using guns that were traced back to a single store. How did this one store seemingly sell so many guns to straw buyers--people purchasing the guns not for themselves, but on behalf of other people who are prohibited from buying, like convicted domestic abusers, felons, and people with outstanding warrants? Had Federal gun laws been adequate to properly regulate stores like this, and others around the country, I sincerely believe that much of the gun violence could be prevented. My record for reducing gun violence in our communities is clear. This year I have sent a letter to the director of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms asking what resources they might need to more efficiently enforce Federal firearm legislation. I have also sent a letter requesting that the Attorney General revitalize and expand upon an existing ``demand letter'' program that can give the BATFE essential information on potential problem Federal Firearm Licensees. Current firearm regulation at the Federal level is simply inefficient and I will continue to work hard with my colleagues to make our streets a safer place.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. I thank you, Representative Olver. I look forward to working with you as well to ensure the viability of this important bridge, the Hoan Bridge.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. I thank you, distinguished Chairman Olver. I rise to bring to your attention a critical infrastructure need in the Fourth Congressional District of Wisconsin. The Hoan Bridge, a vital thoroughfare in my community, connects downtown Milwaukee to the near southside southern suburbs, on to the airport and beyond to the interstate, but it's rapidly deteriorating. Chunks of concrete have been falling off the bridge, and of course, that has created a significant safety hazard. My constituents really rely on the Hoan Bridge, and it accommodates about 43,000 vehicles per day. I trust, Representative Olver, that you will agree that ensuring the bridge's structural integrity and the safety of my constituents is of urgent importance. I yield to the chairman.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, indeed, this Transportation appropriations bill is a jobs creations bill, and I am totally in support of that. My amendment here would modestly increase funding for the Department of Transportation's efforts to help small and disadvantaged businesses obtain transportation contracts. It would add funding beyond the $14,000 increase requested by the President for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization within the Secretary's office, and to increase the capacity for the department to reach out to small and disadvantaged businesses. When I talk about small and disadvantaged businesses, it's not just ethnic minority businesses. It's veteran-owned businesses. It's women- owned businesses. This is an issue that affects every district, both Democrat and Republican. This amendment is about strengthening these small, but important, programs and the work that they do and sending a strong signal to small businesses and to the Secretary about the level of importance that we as a Congress place on creating opportunities for American businesses that are deserved. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise today to introduce legislation that would help improve one of the major new benefit programs--the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance program (P.L. 110-252)--better known as the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill that Congress created in recognition of the continuing sacrifice of the men and women in our Armed Forces. This new law provides veterans with active duty service after Sept. 11, 2001 with enhanced educational benefits to cover more expenses including a living allowance and money for books. Just over 2 years ago--June 30, 2008--this legislation was signed into law and the first benefit checks were disbursed in August 2009. While there have been problems at the startup of this program which I hope have now been largely resolved, hundreds of thousands of veterans are now attending classes using the post-9/11 GI bill. One of the new benefits available for our men and women in uniform is a provision allowing servicemembers to transfer unused benefits to their spouses and dependent children. Children can use these benefits up until age 26 to pursue higher education. This provision was included in recognition of the invaluable and uncompensated sacrifices made by the families of members of the Armed Forces, and in particular their children, who provide unconditional love and support to their loved ones serving in the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense June 2007 Mental Health Task Force report noted that ``The well-being of service members is inextricably linked to the well-being of their families.'' The legislation that I am introducing today--the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill Dependent Coverage Improvement Act--would make this transferable benefit useful for more families. The current Post-9/11 G.I. bill statute allows children of servicemembers to use these transferred benefits up until age 26 but regulations essentially require that transfer to take place prior to that child turning age 23. Mr. Speaker, I can find no valid policy reason for this gap. My bill would close this gap and allow children of servicemembers to be transferred these benefits up to the current limit on when they can use those benefits, age 26. This change is written in a way so that its impact is limited to just this program. This gap was brought to my attention by a constituent, a veteran of multiple wars, who tried to transfer his Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to his daughter only to be blocked by the age limitation. I can only imagine his disappointment at finding out that he could not pass these hard earned benefits to the daughter he has loved and supported her whole life. Age 26 is now widely recognized as a critical age up to which other important benefits for dependent children are being tied, including under the new health care reform law. Earlier this month, the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Act that this House passed would extend coverage under TRICARE for dependent children up to age 26 to match the requirement in the health reform law. If this fix was appropriate for health care benefits, it certainly ought to be appropriate for education benefits. When the Post-9/11 GI bill was passed we were primarily concerned with increasing the benefits available to our brave servicemen and servicewomen, not putting up more barriers to keep them from accessing them. Unfortunately, this oversight limits the scope of these new benefits in a way that was certainly unintended. With this legislation, we can correct this so all eligible dependents are provided access to the benefits this bill provides. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote today on rollcall 398 through rollcall 401. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on all four.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report accompanying H.R. 2194 but not without some reservations which I want to talk about. As you all know, when this bill first came before the House, I voted against it. I was concerned that provisions in the bill: (1) limited or did not provide the President the ability to waive sanctions to advance important national security goals through diplomacy, (2) impacted disproportionately the general population of Iran who had just courageously stood up to the regime after last year's fraudulent elections, (3) and imposed unilateral measures when almost everyone agrees that if you are to use sanctions, multilateral ones have the best chance of achieving their purpose. At that time, I said that it was my hope that as this legislation moved forward in the legislative process, further changes would be made to strengthen this bill in a way that would truly enhance, and not hobble, strong diplomatic efforts to diplomatically engage Iran as well as to enact multilateral sanctions. Today, we have before us a conference report that is better than the bill that came before the House in December. This conference report makes a number of changes to provide flexibility to ensure that the President can continue to engage in international diplomacy, adding elements that were missing from the version that passed the House. It would also include targeted sanctions--including the denial of U.S. visas and asset freezes--that isolate those in the Iranian government or who acted on behalf of that government, based on credible evidence, to order or direct the serious human rights abuses that occurred against Iranian protesters after the June 2009 elections. Such a provision achieves our policy goals without also broadly impacting and punishing the Iranian protestors who were the victims (and continue to be the targets) of that brutality. I would also state and local governments to divest their investments in companies doing business with Iran, if that is a course they choose to pursue. This authority is similar to that granted by Congress only a few years ago allowing a similar divestments regarding investments in Sudan. These changes are certainly improvements to the bill that passed the House over my opposition in December. As I have said before, the President's flexibility to conduct foreign relations and diplomatic efforts to achieve a strong international consensus against Iran is not a loophole that needs to be closed but a vital tool that needs to be supported. Diplomacy without flexibility is not diplomacy. Additionally, even as I vote to support improvements that I think will be useful to the Administration as it pursues an engagement strategy with Iran working in close partnership with our allies in the international community, I want to make clear that I am not interested in causing more suffering to the Iranian people. I am not foolish enough to think that we can impose ``crippling U.S. sanctions'' that ``go far beyond recently-enacted UN sanctions,'' according to the authors of this legislation, without causing suffering to the Iranian people. While the conference report before us states that the people of the U.S. ``have feelings of friendship for the people of Iran,'' unfortunately even with the most expansive waiver authority, they will still bear the brunt--rather than the reckless Iranian regime--of these policies. If we must do sanctions, they ought to be clearly targeted at the Government of Iran and individuals within that government rather than the Iranian society as a whole, in order to avoid creating hardship and inflicting harm on the Iranian people. That would send an even more unmistakable message to the people of Iran about our intentions. While not perfect, there appears to have been good faith efforts made in the conference on this bill to do that. I also hope very much that no one in the international community takes passage of this legislation today as a sign that diplomacy is off the table or that our only other option going forward to address very serious concerns with Iran's nuclear activities is a military strike. I join many who have expressed concerns that although sanctions when appropriately targeted can be an important tool for pressuring Iran, they are not a full policy and certainly not an end in themselves. We need to invest in these diplomatic efforts vigorously now and continue to work with our international allies and others interested in peace and stability in the region. The aim of those efforts aren't new sanctions, they are to achieve a verifiable end to Iran nuclear enrichment activities, get it to comply with its NPT and IAEA obligations, and prevent a volatile region from becoming even more combustible. The State Department's Under Secretary for Political Affairs, William Burns, made this point in testimony this week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he stated, ``Let me emphasize that sanctions are not an end in themselves. Our foremost objective--one that is shared by our international partners and our allies in the region--is a durable diplomatic solution to the world's concerns about the Iranian nuclear program and the broader issues at stake with Iran.'' Treasury Secretary Geithner stated last week, ``to be truly effective in ending Iran's proliferation activities and Iran's support for terrorism, we need to have in place a concerted, international approach. This is not something the United States can do alone. We need other countries to move with us.'' Sanctions--even the most effective ones--cannot and should not substitute nor supplant strong diplomacy. Sanctions should not signify an end to diplomacy or alternatively be seen as the last step before a military strike, which almost everyone agrees does not serve U.S. interests or that of the international community. Eight months ago, there was high degree of skepticism that the U.S. could push through a new U.N sanction regime particularly given known reluctance, if not outright opposition, from Russia and China to such a move. Yet two weeks ago, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1929 committing the international community to implement ``the most comprehensive sanctions'' that the Iranian Government has ever faced according to the Obama Administration. Diplomacy and engagement laid the ground work for such an effort but that doesn't mean it must stop now. United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1929 also emphasized ``the importance of political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution guaranteeing that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes,'' an emphasis that is regrettably missing from the bill before us today. That resolution also affirmatively supported and I would say encouraged--at the same time it was authorizing stronger sanctions-- continued willingness on the part of the P+5 nations (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK, and the U.S.) to ``enhance diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and consultations, including to resume dialogue with Iran on the nuclear issue without preconditions * * * with a view to seeking a comprehensive, longterm and proper solution of this issue'' and made very clear that the parties were ready to resume formal negotiations. Lastly, it has been pointed out that this bill before us today is overwhelming silent on this point except brief mentions when it talks about using diplomacy for new sanctions. This is a key oversight in the bill before us and one I hope neither our own Administration nor our key international allies read as an indication that it is okay to trim back their efforts at diplomatic outreach and engagement with Iran.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on rollcalls 368-375 on June 17. Had I been present I would have voted yes on each with the exception of rollcall 374. On rollcall 374, I would have voted no.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today I am so proud and honored to be able to offer this resolution to my alma mater, Marquette University, which, of course, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its admission of women during this academic year, 2009 to 2010. Not only have we noted in this resolution that Marquette was the first Catholic university in the world to admit women to be educated alongside men in its undergraduate programs; but in doing so, it paved the way for women's access to higher education in the United States of America. This, of course, was very controversial, the admission of women in these programs, and the objections among the religious communities in Milwaukee and elsewhere were rampant. But Father McCabe bravely persisted in admitting women to Marquette University for 4 years before he got word from Rome that it was okay to do so. And we certainly applaud that legacy, as well, today. In the century following this landmark event, the role of women at Marquette has expanded and evolved. Not only is 50 percent of the Marquette student population women, but the university offers a Women's and Gender Studies major and minor. Marquette counts women among its student body leaders, its most outstanding students and its internationally recognized faculty and staff. In the decades following this historic inclusion of women, the university has become known for its commitment to expanding access to higher education, not only to women, but also to low-income students, to veterans and to students who are the first generation in their families to attend college. This year, Marquette celebrates the 40th anniversary of its Educational Opportunity Program, of which I am among its first beneficiaries, which now serves over 500 high school and college students every year. I am so proud of my alma mater, and Milwaukee, that they were on the front lines of change, and recognized long ago, before many other similar institutions, that in order to grow and move forward as a society we can't leave half our population behind. Expanding opportunities and access to education for women benefits our families and our society. I am so honored to recognize Marquette in this way. I congratulate Marquette, its board of trustees, its student body, all of its alumni, and urge passage of H.R. 1161.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for S. 1067, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. I am grateful for the leadership that has brought this important legislation--which I am pleased to cosponsor--to the floor and to bring visibility, focus, and renewed attention and resources to what some have called an Invisible Conflict. For too long, the Lord's Resistance Army, LRA, has been conducting a campaign of violence and terror against the people of northern Uganda which has spread to southern Sudan and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. In each of these areas, the LRA is destroying lives and communities. Women and children are particularly targeted by this vicious group and have suffered harsh abuses and atrocities at the hands of the LRA and its ruthless leaders. Joseph Kony, the man directing this group's atrocious and senseless violence, and two other LRA commanders are wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. The ICC indictment lists 33 charges against him including murder, enslavement, sexual enslavement, rape, intentionally directing attacks against civilian population, and the forced enlisting of children into the rebel ranks. Just last week, media reports indicated that the UN is investigating new allegations of a previously unreported LRA attack in February in a very remote part of the Democratic Republic of Congo that killed over 100 people. Unfortunately, unless more attention and resources are paid to stopping the LRA, we will probably only continue to hear more similar disheartening and tragic reports in the coming months and weeks. It is clear that current efforts to apprehend Kony and other LRA leaders are not working and vulnerable civilians in the region continue to pay the price with their lives for that failure. These terrorists must be brought to justice. The international community needs to step up its efforts to rid the affected communities of this threat and help them rebuild and recover. The U.S. can and must play a key role in that effort. The bill before us today, S. 1067--the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, makes U.S. policy very clear: to work vigorously for a lasting resolution to the conflict in northern and eastern Uganda and other areas terrorized by the LRA and to eliminate the threat posed by the Lord's Resistance Army to civilians using the political, economic, military, and intelligence tools available to our nation in a comprehensive and multilateral effort that will result in greater protection of innocent civilians and lead to the capture of Joseph Kony and other commanders of the LRA. This bill is the work of exemplary leadership from colleagues from both sides of the aisle including Congressman Jim McGovern who has been a long time champion for ending conflict and promoting peace. This legislation is also the result of the hard work of thousands of activists across the country--young and old--including from my district as well who want to ensure justice and peace for the many victims of the LRA. The bill would give the administration a strong mandate to act swiftly and effectively to lead multilateral efforts to protect children and families from LRA attacks and put a permanent end to these atrocities. It would require the U.S. to create a strategy working with our international allies on a viable plan to protect civilians from LRA attacks, support the capacity of local authorities to maintain the rule of law, prevent conflict, and diplomatically engage on a regional basis to address the threat posed by the LRA. Lastly, it would express support for U.S. efforts and funding to assist the people of Uganda and the Government of Uganda in rebuilding and recovery projects in areas of northern and eastern Uganda heavily affected by fighting with the LRA and authorize humanitarian aid aimed directly at the families and communities that have been and continue to be victimized by the LRA, including the children pressed into service as soldiers by the LRA. The tremendous suffering caused by the LRA cannot end soon enough. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am in wholehearted support of this amendment and this bill. I just wanted to speak briefly on the previous amendment that passed en bloc, which included a provision for which I am responsible. It included the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are not just mere lakes; they are inland seas, and they contain the greatest source of freshwater on Earth. And despite their size, they are extremely vulnerable to stresses from environmental pollution, ecological alterations, and climate changes. In addition to that, they are a great source of economic development. There are many unanswered research questions regarding the lakes' ecological stability. But there is already significant evidence that the climate of the Great Lakes region is changing: for example, water temperatures have been higher, and the duration of winter ice cover has declined. These changes have a serious impact on the Great Lakes ecosystem--and the goods and services linked to the Lakes. To name just a few of the myriad potential effects: Water temperatures are already rising, and almost all of the climate change scenarios predict further changes in temperature and precipitation. Lakes are very sensitive to climate in terms of the amount of precipitation and evaporation. Precipitation changes are causing variation in water levels; most predictions are for lower levels but some predict higher levels. Precipitation is predicted to increase but is predicted to come in fewer and more intense effects--in effect, a higher number of more intense rainstorms--which has a big impact on runoff from the lake, soil erosion, non-point pollution, and more. Climate change is already affecting the population and distribution of fish and many other organisms; water level and temperature changes may also accelerate the accumulation of mercury and other contaminants. When lake levels change, costs of shipping in the Great lakes increase, as do the costs of dredging harbors and channels, and adjusting docks and other infrastructure. Climate change disrupts Great Lakes regional agricultural productivity (largely because of changes in the distribution of rain). There is a dire need for comprehensive research on the impact of the environment on the Great Lakes region--now, not later. Waiting to begin managing the potential effects of climate change on the lakes only increases the ultimate expense, and the potential for irreversible damages. If we act fast, we can take action to prevent some of the most damaging effects of climate change, and we an provide immediate relief in the form of cost savings, cleaner air and water, improved recreational opportunities, safeguarded environmental habitat, and improved quality of life for communities in the Great Lakes region. We also must safeguard Lake Michigan--and in fact, all the Great Lakes--because of the Lakes' vital role these play in the region's economy. Lake Michigan is the lifeblood of the Milwaukee regional economy. We have to use every tool in our toolbelt to ensure Lake Michigan's ecological stability--not only for the sake of environmental protection, but for the sake of our economic security--from tourism to manufacturing to fishing to shipping. Southeastern Wisconsin is home to over more than 120 water-related businesses and five of the largest 11 water technology companies have significant presence in the area. UWM is home to the Great Lakes Water Institute, which is the largest research center of its kind on the Great Lakes. The Water Institute represents the only major aquatic research institution located on Lake Michigan and the largest U.S. institution of its kind in the Great Lakes region. According to the EPA, today, there are approximately 37 million people living in the Great Lakes basin and more than 26 million of these people rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water. Shipping has been responsible for the development of the entire Great a Lakes Region. Many manufacturing industries are attracted to the Great Lakes area because of the advantages of being near a water source which provides inexpensive electricity and convenient transportation routes. The Journal Sentinel reports that there are 44,000 jobs directly tied to Great Lakes shipping, and nearly 200,000 jobs in the mining and steel industries that depend on the lakes' cargo.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sande Robinson, Director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Marquette University. EOP helps low-income, disadvantaged, first generation college students to receive a college degree. Ms. Robinson will retire in June 2010 after 35 years of distinguished service at Marquette University. Ms. Robinson began her career at Marquette in 1974 and has been a part of the great success of the EOP program during 35 years of its 40- year history. She received a bachelor's degree from Kent State in Early Childhood Education and a Master's degree from Kent State with a major in College Student Personnel. Ms. Robinson's first position was as a financial aid counselor in the EOP; she ultimately became the director in 1986. Even as the director, she maintained close interaction with students by continuing to counsel students as she had since coming to the EOP. Ms. Robinson collaborates with the national TRIO organization, the Council for Opportunity in Education to ensure the highest standards in available support services are provided nationwide for minority and other underserved students. EOP is one of the TRIO federally-funded college opportunity programs that provide academic tutoring, personal counselling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention and relevant training for directors and staff. Ms. Robinson has served as the president of Wisconsin Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel. While at Marquette, she has successfully secured federal funding for EOP throughout its history and served as a member of the Friends of the Haggerty Museum Board, a member of the Diversity Task Force, and many scholarship selection committees. She has been active at the national level in presenting successful models of support program innovation and has been a reader of grant applications for the U.S. Department of Education Student Support Services grant competitions. Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to pay tribute to Sande Robinson who leaves behind a wonderful legacy of assisting hundreds of students in their efforts to receive a higher education and become alumni of my alma mater, Marquette University. Sande Robinson's contributions have greatly enriched and benefitted the citizens of the Fourth Congressional District.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses the role that small businesses can play in helping our Defense Department and the men and women in uniform who ultimately are benefited by a properly functioning acquisition process. Now, there is not an elected official anywhere who won't tell you that small businesses are the key engines of economic growth for communities across our country, including Milwaukee, which I have the honor to represent. We've heard this statement countless times. According to the Department of Defense, small business is the key to sustaining and improving our industrial base and to maintain competition and innovation. Yet despite congressional efforts to encourage the participation of small economically and socially disadvantaged businesses, including those owned by veterans, small businesses, in Defense Department acquisitions, concerns remain about bundled contracts and the ability of those businesses to fully participate on a level playing field against larger defense contractors. I know I have heard these concerns from businesses in my district, including just this morning. I'm sure that my colleagues can share similar stories. When the rubber hits the road at the Department of Defense, small businesses find a giant pothole waiting for them in pursuing contracts. If we are to reform this broken acquisition system, which is the goal of this bipartisan bill, we need to ensure that it is working for small businesses as well. We can't do that without assessing how well it is working for those businesses now, and that's what my amendment intends to do. My amendment calls upon the Department, when developing measures to assess contractor performance as called for in this bill before us, to specifically measure how the prime contractors themselves are involving small businesses, including those owned by veterans, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, as well as subcontractors. If I'm not mistaken, Federal law requires that large Federal prime contractors receiving Federal contracting exceeding $550,000--and $1 million in the case of construction--on a contract which offers subcontracting opportunities must have subcontracting plans with goals that provide maximum opportunities to these small businesses. I am so pleased that the bill already would require the Department to look at the excessive use of contract bundling which has previously been identified as an obstacle for small businesses competing for DOD contracts. And I also know that in the report accompanying this bill, the House Armed Services Committee urged the Department to develop a metric for small business utilization as part of the new assessment tools the bill requires. My amendment supports that goal. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. It is time that the rhetoric meets reality. Small business is the key to economic growth in our country and ensuring that small businesses can compete and that the Defense Department gets the products, services and goods it needs on time and on budget, which are not mutually exclusive goals. But unfortunately for small businesses, business as usual at the DOD and too many other Federal agencies means little or no business for them. Innovation is not the exclusive domain of large companies. Small businesses are innovative. In fact, they may have a greater incentive to be innovative because that innovation is what may allow them to successfully compete against larger firms. When we put all of America's ingenuity to work, it benefits our military, our taxpayers, and our communities. I urge a ``yes'' vote on my amendment and yield back the balance of my time.