Doris Matsui

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during consideration of this rule is for debate only. General Leave

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Chairman, at this point I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), the chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to offer a bipartisan amendment to the GIVE Act. The Matsui-Shays amendment makes needed changes to national service and carries with it broad support. Our amendment will combine the two separate State competitive funds and national competitive funds into one singular funding pool. This change will improve national service efficiency and effectiveness, while increasing collaboration between State and national interests. Every year organizations and the individuals they support are turned away from the grants they need because of high demand or simple administrative burdens. The current funding formula gives approximately one-third of the funding to the States based on population, approximately one-third to State competitive grants, and approximately one-third to a national competitive funding pool. Under the current formula, a high demand for State competitive grants means that State grant applicants are turned away even if there are resources still available in the national pool and vice versa. Additionally, these deserving nonprofits and community service organizations spend far too many of their valuable resources navigating a confusing applications process and managing multiple grants. If this amendment passes, these precious resources will now be used to better serve their communities. At its heart the amendment ensures that grants are competitively distributed based on merit and that resources are used in the most efficient and effective manner. I hope that all of my colleagues will join Congressman Shays and myself, as well as the Governor-appointed State service commissions, national service organizations, leading nonprofits, and Members from both sides of the aisle in support of this valuable amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin today by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Ramstad. Their advocacy on this issue has been truly remarkable. We held a field hearing in my district last year on mental health. It provided my constituents with a forum for important dialogue about an issue that affects millions of Americans. Mr. Speaker, anyone who has had a family member with a mental illness knows how difficult living with the disease can be for everyone involved. They also know one thing above all else: physical illness and mental illness are equally painful and equally challenging. In many ways, mental health patients suffer more because our insurance system discriminates against them. That is why this legislation is so important, because it is about people, people who struggle with mental illness every day and every night, people who suffer in silence without a doctor's help because their insurance will not cover mental health or addiction treatments. This House has the chance to demonstrate its compassion and commitment to these people, Mr. Speaker. With one vote, we can put behind us the false conception that mental illness is not as serious as cancer or diabetes or many other diseases covered by health insurance plans. On the contrary, mental illnesses are some of the most serious health conditions we face. The battle against them has been enormously difficult for millions of families across our Nation. It has been tough, but this is a battle that we must win, Mr. Speaker. With mental health parity, it is a battle we can and will win. Again, I thank Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Ramstad for their courageous commitment to this legislation.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This point of order is about whether or not to consider this rule and ultimately the underlying bill. In fact, I would say that it is simply an effort to try to kill this bill before we even have an opportunity to debate it. I hope my colleagues will vote ``yes'' on this procedural motion so we can consider this important legislation today. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5351 is about investing in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. It is about boosting our economy and national security while protecting our environment. It is abundantly clear that our dependence on foreign oil has skyrocketed with much of it imported from the volatile Middle East with a price tag today of $102 a barrel. It's time to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, not only to strengthen our national security but to support domestic production of renewable energy. We need to take action now and start by considering and passing the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax bill today. This bill is about the hardworking American families. It is about creating jobs for the American worker and about protecting their rights. If we are creating jobs in this bill, which we are, we should be making sure that workers are making prevailing wages. The Davis-Bacon Act requires contractors to pay no less than the locally prevailing wage on Federal contract construction. Davis-Bacon was adopted in 1931, during the Hoover administration, to protect the rights of the American workforce. During the more than 70 years since its enactment, Davis-Bacon has come under fire many times but has always received support from the Congress and American families who benefit from it. The Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act addresses the priorities of the American people. In addition to tackling our energy crisis, H.R. 5351 complies with PAYGO rules, which is a priority of the 110th Congress. The bill is therefore paid for. Most of the funding is by reducing tax cuts to the top-earning oil companies. In order to pay for the important tax extensions and comply with PAYGO, there had to be revenue raisers. Our country is facing record deficits, and this Congress is acting responsibly. This bill will develop a progressive energy policy that is long term, not shortsighted. It does away with the tired strategies of the past, which focused only on producing more oil at the expense of the environment and of the American taxpayer. We are heeding the calls of the American people by adopting it. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Boswell). (Mr. BOSWELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1001 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. MATSUI. Again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the motion to consider so we can debate and pass this important piece of legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to a member of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I have one additional speaker.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, just before I yield to my next speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the Protect America Act expiration has not reduced our ability to conduct surveillance. With that, I would yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sestak).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I want to just say, as I said before, this is just to remind my colleagues that we are considering the rule for the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act today. With that, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to the next speaker, I would just like to say, unfortunately, it is ironic that the minority is coming to the floor with this issue yet again, especially since the minority has refused to come to the table as we are trying to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions. Yes, we have been trying to move forward with the negotiations, but the minority has not been willing to participate. I would also like to remind my colleagues that one of the most destabilizing forces in the world is the competition for declining oil resources in the world. When we break our dependence on foreign oil with this bill today, we will be safer and our country will be better positioned to respond to the threats we face. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York, a member of the Rules Committee, Mr. Arcuri.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to my next speaker, I would like to say to the gentleman that this is a very fair rule. It allows extra debate time so that all Members have a chance to speak. As is usual for a tax bill, we allowed a Republican substitute amendment to be made in order. Unfortunately, the Republican substitute amendment offered during the Rules Committee did not meet PAYGO requirements. The minority had the opportunity to submit the substitute if they wanted, but they did not. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida, a member of the Rules Committee, Ms. Castor.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1001 provides for consideration of H.R. 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008 under a structured rule. The rule provides 90 minutes of debate on the bill, equally divided and controlled by the Committee on Ways and Means. The rule makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Congressional Record if offered by Representative McCrery or his designee. The substitute amendment is debatable for 1 hour. The rule also provides for one motion to recommit the bill, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, today's debate is quite simple: It is about taking action on an important priority of the American people. It is about investing in renewable energy, which will chart a new direction for our country's energy policy. This bill will ensure that hardworking Americans can buy affordable energy that is environmentally sound. It restores balance to our energy policy after years of favoring Big Oil. Mr. Speaker, hardworking American families are struggling to pay their bills in an uncertain economy. They face the growing cost of basic necessities, such as gasoline and heating oil. This is a direct result of rising oil prices. As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to protect our constituents from big oil companies and countries that are taking advantage of working families. The Renewable Energy and Energy Tax Conservation Act restores balance to our energy policy. For years, we have had a tax structure that favors huge oil companies over the American family. Mr. Speaker, I believe the facts speak for themselves. Oil costs today rose to $102 a barrel for the first time in history. It is more expensive for Americans to drive their kids to school, to go to the grocery store, to heat their homes, and to vacation with their families. Americans are paying more than ever to fill up their cars, and big oil companies are reaping the profits. In my home State of California, the price of gasoline is more than double what it was when this administration came into office. Last year, ExxonMobil posted the largest profit in American history, nearly $40 billion to one company. This equation is simple: Americans pay more; oil companies make more. This is unacceptable for the families we represent. Unfortunately, it is perfectly acceptable for our President. This is a President who said that we don't need incentives for oil and gas companies to explore. That was back when the price of oil was $55 per barrel. It is now almost double that. It is obvious that any system that rewards the top earning oil companies and neglects our constituents and the environment ignores the priorities of the American people. Mr. Speaker, today's legislation will correct this inequity. It will transfer some of the massive profits enjoyed by these oil companies and invest them in renewable resources that will power our economy in the future. Our scientists have been hard at work researching ways to harness the powerful assets of our planet. We can have a healthy economy even as we preserve our natural resources and our skies. Solar, wind, and geothermal technologies are ready for the mainstream. Our legislation will help get them there. In the case of solar, we are not just creating new incentives. We are extending successful tax breaks that have helped these industries get off the ground. Our legislation will allow public agencies to issue bonds to pay for clean energy projects. Some of the most effective public energy agencies in the country have put this provision at the top of their priority list. This bill envisions a future where our country is no longer beholden to the oil market. It will dramatically pump up our domestic production of renewable fuels, such as biodiesel and cellulosic alcohol. The bill also contains a tax break to increase the number of alternative refueling stations so that Americans have options to fill up on the next generation of fuels. This legislation recognizes that we can and must create the technologies today that we will use in the future. It harnesses our inventive American spirit to tackle our energy problems. It creates a sliding-scale tax incentive for consumers to purchase plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It encourages investment in solar fuel cells and harnesses the power of cutting-edge technologies that produce energy from landfill gas and marine sources. It builds on the desire of the American people for a more balanced and progressive energy policy. Making our homes and buildings more energy efficient is one of the most cost-effective ways to save money and power. Our legislation contains significant incentives for efficiency programs. These changes will save money for constituents in the short and long run. They will also help preserve jobs. If tax incentives for wind and solar production are not extended, 116,000 American jobs will be lost. The legislation before us is critical to the health of our economy. Most important, though, is that this legislation builds on the desire of the American people for a more balanced and progressive energy policy. The American people want us to take action to modernize our energy supply, and that is what we are doing. This bill will also help to lessen our dangerous dependence on oil from unstable parts of the world. Earlier this month, our energy markets were disturbed by rumors that Venezuela was cutting off oil shipments. Events like these are a stark reminder that even though we are the strongest country in the world, we are also very vulnerable. The short-sighted energy policy of the past is undermining our national security. We will only get weaker unless we change course now and invest in renewable fuels that are produced here at home, not in countries that wish us harm. This House has heard the message that the American people have been sending us for a long time. We must overhaul our energy policy, and this bill is the second step toward this goal. We took the first step late last year when Democrats reached across the aisle. We worked in a bipartisan manner to pass the first increase in fuel economy standards in decades. We could have done even more to restore balance to our energy policy. Many of the provisions in today's bill were a part of last year's energy legislation passed by this House. But we were stymied by Republican obstructionism in the Senate. I am one of the millions of Americans who want to see us do even more. People like Luquita Hutchinson from my hometown of Sacramento. She and her family are the reasons we must chart a new course forward here today. Because of trying to balance her household budget, Luquita has stopped buying meat at the grocery store because she has to pay so much for gas at the pump. Today, in Sacramento, it's $3.35 a gallon. She has to make a choice between buying food for her family or filling up her gas tank. It is for the sake of people like Luquita that I encourage my colleagues to support the legislation on the floor today. This bill makes us safer by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. It protects the pocketbooks of hardworking Americans like Luquita Hutchinson, and it transforms our energy policy to maximize the benefits of clean, affordable, and renewable energy. If we pass today's bill, this kind of clean energy future is within our grasp. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on the resolution.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart). All time yielded for consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, before I yield time to our next speaker, first I would like to say that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act continues to give the intelligence community the tools it needs to monitor terrorists. The government always has the option of tapping targets immediately and returning to the FISA Court within 72 hours to obtain an order. Additionally, any surveillance gathered before the expiration of the Protect America Act is in place for 1 year. The FISA Court backlog has been cleared, and the intelligence community can and was always able to do its job. I would like to remind my colleagues that we are considering the rule for the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mahoney).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, today's debate is really about the future of our country. Those of us who think that American leadership can create new sources of clean energy will vote for this bill. Those of us who think that high oil prices, economic uncertainty, and dependence on foreign oil are good energy policy will vote against it. I know where my loyalties lie in this debate. They lie with Americans who are struggling to find the money to drive their children to school. They lie with people in my State of California who are concerned about global warming. They lie with my constituents who want a new direction for energy policy. It is for them that I support this legislation today. It is for them that I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Voting for the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act is a way to show our constituents that the energy policies of the past are no longer acceptable. The American people are challenging us to create a new strategy focused on renewable and affordable energy. Those of us who support today's bill are meeting that challenge. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. The material previously referred to by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida is as follows: Amendment to H. Res. 1001 Offered by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida At the end of the resolution, add the following: Sec. 4. ``That upon adoption of this resolution, before consideration of any order of business other than one motion that the House adjourn, the bill (H.R. 3773) to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes, with Senate amendment thereto, shall be considered to have been taken from the Speaker's table. A motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment shall be considered as pending in the House without intervention of any point of order. The Senate amendment and the motion shall be considered as read. The motion shall be debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader or their designees. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to final adoption without intervening motion.''

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I am proud to introduce the ``Public Health Peparedness Workforce Development Act of 2008.'' This much- needed legislation will help provide the critical workers that our public health community so desperately needs. These skilled public health professionals include the nurses, epidemiologists, lab technicians, and others who keep our communities healthy and safe. They deliver our vaccines, ensure that our drinking water is safe, test for infectious diseases, and serve as our front- line defense against biological and chemical attacks. The responsibilities of our public health workers reach into our daily lives. Unfortunately, our country has under-invested in this critical area for decades, and our public health workforce is near the breaking point. We are simply not producing or retaining enough public health workers to meet the increasing demand for their essential services. Nearly a quarter of the public health workforce is set to retire by 2012. As a result, the Association of Schools of Public Health estimates that our country's public health schools would have to train three time the current number of graduates over the next 12 years just to maintain current levels of preparedness. We cannot continue to underestimate or undervalue the importance of a strong public health system. As we focus on preventing outbreaks and attacks through preparedness and vigilance, we will rely ever more heavily on our public health workers. However, public health positions are often not economically competitive with those offered by the private sector. We must create the proper incentives offered for our Nation's brightest public health graduates to serve in the public sector, and the Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act is a strong step toward doing so. It offers scholarships, loan repayment programs, and mid-career training grants to recent public health graduates and to current public health employees looking to supplement their education. It also creates an electronic clearinghouse to make it easier for workers to find available public health positions to the Federal Government. Additionally, this bill will improve the training of public health workers and introduce many more of them to the field by spurring the creation of academic health departments. These departments, formed by the union of State and local health agencies with schools of public health, will serve as training grounds analogous to medical schools and teaching hospitals. Closer coordination between academia and the people we charge with protecting the public welfare is essential to keeping our constituents safe from threats like avian flu, staph infections, and other public health challenges, By melding the academic and the practical, this legislation will significantly improve our ability to respond effectively to public health emergencies. A strong and robust public health workforce is not a luxury, Madam Speaker. It is a necessity. The Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development all my colleagues to support it.