Eleanor Norton

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, what has been most encouraging to us is that we now know we are not in this fight alone. Imagine having to fight against the almighty Congress when you are one jurisdiction, obviously without the means to let the entire country understand what is happening, and so most Americans had no idea until the arrests took place. Just as the District has been fighting for a vote in the people's House, the House of Representatives, and over and over again we found that most Americans thought we had the vote. There has been a nationwide survey done, and it is very interesting. It shows that more than 60 percent of the American people are for voting rights for the District of Columbia, and that survey has been cut open so as to see whether there are differences as to where people live, north and south, whether people have served in the military or not, whether people go to church or not, and the encouraging thing to those of us who live in the District of Columbia is that no matter how you cut it, Americans believe that if you pay Federal income taxes, you ought to have a vote in this body. Yes, I have a vote in committee. Yes, I can speak as I am now. Yes, I have every privilege of the House--except that privilege that created the Nation, the privilege to vote, to cast the final vote. But, I have gone to funerals of young men who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet I could not vote yea or nay on whether they should have been there in the first place. Surely, if the American people realized that, there would be shame cast on the Congress. Now the District is struggling, not for the voting rights and statehood it deserves but for the home rule and self-government it already has. It is far too late in history for any Americans to be struggling for the right to govern themselves at the local level as they see fit and to spend the funds they raise at the local level in any way they choose. That, my friends, if you are looking to the Founders, you will find that that was for them a first principle. And so other Americans have now come to our assistance, and the difference between them and the residents whom I represent is that they have that vote on the floor of this House while we do not. As Members voted to take away some of the local rights of the district I represent every Member of this body could vote on that matter except the Member who represented the Nation's Capital that was the object of that vote. You will not find any American anywhere who will say that that represents what they believe or what our country stands for. That is why every Member of this House has been sent or will be sent a letter, and I am reading from just one part of it, because this letter comes from the coalition of a hundred different national organizations: ``Should lawmakers continue to advance attacks on the District of Columbia's autonomy, we will make certain that our members--in every District--know how their representatives are spending their time in Washington: meddling in the affairs of a local jurisdiction, the District of Columbia, rather than focusing on their own residents and on the Nation's true, pressing business.'' I have spent my entire service in the Congress trying to rid the District appropriation of anti-home rule attachments. We were successful in clearing the DC appropriation bill of all of the anti- democratic attachments for the first time last Congress. We did not engage in that fight only to have them put right back on. We did not enjoy seeing Congress play shutdown chicken with the American people either, and Congress must not even think about shutting down a local government ever again over a Federal fight again. During the civil rights movement we called our approach passive resistance to tell the world we were nonviolent. But that was all that was passive about us. The operative word was ``resistance.'' Once we resisted, civil rights workers found we were not alone. Today, District residents are joined by allies who stand with us and are working with us. On this we have no doubt. The American people are with District residents when we say local laws are for local residents alone, and most especially when we insist that when it's our money, we mean ours and only ours. The Nation's Capital should be the 51st State by now. The city's taxpaying citizens should at least have a vote in Congress, the very Congress that demands that the citizens who live here abide by the laws that the Congress enacts. DC residents and their local leaders are fighting with all they have. What they need most now, and what I am gratified that they are receiving, is the support of other Americans who do have the basic rights that the citizens of the Nation's Capital are still seeking. ``Don't tread on DC.''

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute an outstanding Federal employee and citizen of the District of Columbia, Veronica Lewis, who is retiring this month after forty-one years of service with the Federal Government. Ms. Lewis, a dedicated public servant, is known for her contributions to both the government and to her fellow employees. Ms. Lewis has lived and worked in Washington, DC all of her life. She began her career as a public employee in 1970 as a personnel information assistant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 1986, she became a secretary with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she is still employed today, in the agency's Division of Corporation Finance. She has been a loyal and dedicated Federal employee for the past 4 decades. Ms. Lewis attended public schools in the District of Columbia. Prior to her career with the Federal Government, she worked for the Metropolitan Police Department and also as a teacher's aide at Taft Junior High School. In 2000, Ms. Lewis was one of the original founders of the Federal employee union that now represents all of the non-management employees at the SEC National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Chapter 293. She served as the union's chief steward for several years and, since 2006, has served as the vice president of Chapter 293. Ms. Lewis has two children, Cecilia Vernette Camp and Edward Walker, and three grandchildren, Angela Lewis-Camp, Veronica Lewis-Camp, and Edward Walker, Jr. In retirement, Ms. Lewis plans to travel as well as to volunteer at St. Jude Children's Hospital. Her hobbies are dancing, traveling and bicycling. Mr. Speaker, Veronica Lewis has been a dedicated civil servant all of her adult life, both as an SEC employee and as a leader of NTEU Chapter 293. It is appropriate that we honor her today for her many contributions and congratulate her on her retirement from the Federal Government.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, the Financial Services appropriation soon due on the floor will be contentious; but one section should be a piece of cake because it only requires Members to vote on the local budget of a city, the District of Columbia, already voted on and locally funded by the only elected officials accountable to voters and the only officials who have familiarity with that local budget. I ask my colleagues to give the local budget of my city the same respect you demand for yours. Please do not tell local people how to spend local money. According to the Republican Study Group, its 10th Amendment task force intends, and I quote, ``to disburse power from Washington back to regions and States, local governments and individuals.'' Your principle, please honor it.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor to alert Members who interfere with the local funds of a local jurisdiction, not your own, in this case the District of Columbia, that this year, it will be highlighted in your own district. The debt limit discussions spotlight our differences, but one idea always has enjoyed the broadest support in this country and in this House. The Federal Government does not interfere with local matters, especially local funds not raised by the Federal Government. The Framers formed a federal government only after trying a confederation, but it became clear that there were some matters of overarching concern that could be arbitrated only by a true national government. But, they were at great pains to reserve maximum freedom at the local level where people live. Nothing is more local than the local funds a jurisdiction raises on its own from its own local taxpayers. You raise the funds, you get to say how they will be spent. The principle applies to all. No second class citizens on local matters, especially local funds, and that includes the 600,000 residents of the District of Columbia. Congress ceded its power to run the District of Columbia in 1973 when it passed the Home Rule Act. It still approves the D.C. budget, but it does not change that budget. Members of Congress, unaccountable to the electorate of the District of Columbia, have no right to use the budget process to direct spending away from matters that may be controversial to you but not to our own local jurisdiction. That is tea party doctrine; that is a principle of the Democratic Party. License was taken to put controversial attachments on the 2011 budget deal and the world watched as the entire executive and legislative branches of the local government here were arrested in an act of civil disobedience. This time a coalition of national organizations with millions of members are taking preventive action, and I quote from a letter all of you will receive: ``Should lawmakers continue to advance attacks on D.C.'s autonomy, we will make certain that our members in every district know how their representatives are spending their time in Washington, meddling in the affairs of D.C. residents rather than focusing on the Nation's true pressing business.'' Meddle with D.C.'s local funds, we will pull the covers off in your own districts. Congress, this year ``don't tread on D.C.''

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I too want to acknowledge my good friend, Lynn Woolsey, for 20 really illustrious years in the Congress. I cannot imagine why she would want to end her illustrious career here so early. We will miss her. I should warn Members of Congress that a peculiar part of the Financial Services appropriations, which comes to the floor this week, will seem particularly strange, even inappropriate. It is a historical anachronism, and I can only apologize for it. We must quickly make sure that we enter the 21st century on the District of Columbia local budget. Yes, it is our budget. We raise it all in the District of Columbia. We are American citizens. Some have said, But the District of Columbia is mentioned and comes under the Constitution. So be it. I'm a constitutional lawyer; I concede that. But in their wisdom, after 150 years of shame, the Congress of the United States decided to grant home rule, as we call it, to the District of Columbia. So that instead of having a city of hundreds of thousands of Americans run by a Federal body, the Congress said that we delegate, we use our power under the Constitution to delegate to the District of Columbia the ability to elect its local officials, and raise its own money--we were raising our own budget all along. And spend its own money. For the most part Congress has adhered to this delegation by law. After all, we raise $4 billion. That's more than some States. It is, of course, the very essence of the principle of federalism embraced by both sides of the aisle of this body. Our federalism is what has held the Union together. We are a very different jurisdiction, so we have acknowledged different strokes for different folks. As if to reinforce that principle, a new crop of Republicans has come with federalism as a virtual original principle, giving new meaning to the notion of local control. Indeed, these new Republicans want the Federal Government out of even many Federal matters and to them turned back to the States. And so I imagine that the whole notion of the big foot of the Federal Government on the District of Columbia in local matters would particularly offend the new so-called ``tea party'' Republicans if they are adhering to their own principles. The appropriation that will come before this body already intrudes on the District of Columbia with one rider, a rider involving abortion services for local women. That's embedded in it. If this Congress holds to principle, there certainly will be no more. The world saw the reaction the last time the Congress tried to add attachments to the District of Columbia appropriation. It was in the budget deal of 2011. At a time when people in the Mideast were in the streets against their government, it was our government that went into the streets, and you saw elected officials from the top of the government, both the executive and the legislature, arrested in acts of civil disobedience because of intrusion on the way that the citizens of the District of Columbia spend their own local money. And the White House was not exempt. Residents also went to the White House and some were arrested right there because the White House agreed to the 2011 budget deal at the very last minute. Now a new national organization composed of national organizations that themselves have millions of members across the United States have come forward to help us, and they have sent letters to Members of Congress saying that you will not be able to anonymously any more engage in intrusion on the local affairs of a local jurisdiction. We are activating our members to let them know if you intrude by voting for any attachment that takes away the ability of the District of Columbia to spend its own local funds as it sees fit. Local taxes, my friends, local issues. Not your business unless you raise the money. Some of these issues are controversial. That also is the essence of federalism. We, of course, bow to the differences among us instead of trying to take away our rights to embrace those differences. Much that occurs in your district is enough to raise the hairs of my own citizens. We would not want to deprive you of your rights. We ask that you do not deprive us of ours. There will be consequences.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Chairman, more than 25 years ago, the Congress charged the Defense Department to identify and then to clean up and remediate properties which the department had owned or leased in order to test chemical munitions. Congress did so because these munitions had left hazardous substances related to the work of the department. There are more than 2,000 such sites in nearly every State, all the Territories and in the District of Columbia. My concern is with those sites in congested residential parts of our country where there may be dense populations located by formerly used defense sites. A classic case and perhaps the most important--but I'm sure not the only one--was the World War I chemical weapons site for the United States of America. It happened to have been right here in Northwest Washington, DC, in a portion of what is now American University and its surrounding neighborhood known as Spring Valley. The Army is making good on its duty to clean up these formerly used defense sites (FUDS), including the site in the District of Columbia, but we have no information on the health effects of these leftover chemical munitions. They have been found in people's back and front yards. They have been found, at least here, in people's gardens. Entire houses and garages, as it turns out, unknowingly were built on this debris. The site here in the District of Columbia was found by accident by a utility contractor digging into a trench. The neighborhood had no knowledge. The city had no knowledge of these leftover munitions. Again, I stress that there are surely other sites around the United States, and I cite this case as an example. This land, in the District of Columbia at least, was used for the research and development and testing of chemical explosives, and it was able to be done in this city because there wasn't any local government, and there wasn't any home rule. I guess, since the city was administered by the Federal Government, they could simply make a munitions testing site in this city. Hundreds of pounds of chemical agents and explosives were developed and released throughout the environment. We have found in the Spring Valley section of the city arsine projectiles, mustard gas projectiles, lewisite projectiles, and other kinds of chemical toxic waste left over from undetonated ordnances. When World War I was over, the Army simply used the site where they'd been doing the testing as a dumpsite. They buried these munitions right where they were testing. Now, that was the way in which you disposed of these munitions at the time. In the Spring Valley area that is a classic case, there are 1,200 private homes, 30 Embassies and foreign properties, Sibley Hospital, Wesley Seminary. There may be other metropolitan areas that have formerly used defense sites as well. Spring Valley may be the prime target because it is such a well- established neighborhood where chemical agents and munitions were once used. The amendment requires the Secretary to allocate $1 million to study the human health effects of left-over munitions in congested residential areas. Just as the Department of Defense and the Army have acknowledged their obligation to clean up and remove hazardous substances, especially munitions that have been left behind through their testing, they also have the obligation to investigate whether there are any remaining health effects. That is all we are asking; that there be a study as to whether there are any remaining health effects at this former munitions site from World War I and other sites like it in congested residential areas.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce a resolution designating the last Saturday in July as National Dance Day to combat obesity and overweight through dance of all kinds. This year, each community throughout the country is encouraged to celebrate National Dance Day on Saturday, July 30. In the nation's capital, National Dance Day will be celebrated at the Sylvan Theatre on the National Mall. Our country has a notorious adult and child overweight and obesity epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled in the past 30 years. In the United States, almost one-third of children and teenagers ages 2 to 19 and 68 percent of adults ages 20 and older are obese or overweight. We can promote physical activity among children and adults while having fun dancing, an exercise that most enjoy. On the National Mall, ``So You Think You Can Dance'' producer and celebrity judge Nigel Lythgoe, the Dizzy Feet Foundation, and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation will host a variety of dance groups that will perform the dances that keep them fit. A Flash Mob will also have everybody dancing for fun and physical fitness on July 30. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the resolution and to encourage dancing for physical exercise on National Dance Day and throughout the year.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce a resolution welcoming the Fourteenth Dalai Lama to Washington, DC, July 6-16, 2011, and recognizing his extraordinary example and commitment to world peace, non-violence, human rights, religious freedom and democracy. The Dalai Lama welcomed me and other members of a congressional delegation, led by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, into his home in 2008. It is, therefore, a special pleasure to welcome him to my congressional district and the Nation's Capital. Tibetan children, monks, and exiles lined the streets to greet our delegation in 2008, and I know that my colleagues would want to join me in returning that welcoming officially. Although the Dalai Lama has visited the Nation's Capital many times, this year, he will preside over the fifth Kalachakra teaching in the United States, the first in the Nation's Capital, which will be held at the Verizon Center. The Kalachakra seeks to enhance the Dalai Lama's non-violent teachings, as well as to reduce conflict and promote peace, both individually and globally. I urge my colleagues to join me in welcoming this recipient of both the Nobel Peace Prize and the Congressional Gold Medal, and in wishing him a happy 76th birthday today.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following: Whereas, the year 2014 marks the centennial of World War I, often referred to as the ``Great War;'' Whereas, the National Mall is home to memorials for America's major 20th century conflicts--the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with the exception of a World War I Memorial; Whereas, the District of Columbia War Memorial, managed by the National Park Service, was dedicated to the more than 26,000 District of Columbia residents who, without a vote in Congress, served bravely in World War I, including 499 who were killed; Whereas, a memorial dedicated to all Americans who served in World War I should be located in our nation's capital, in a well-traveled area commensurate with the importance of World War I in the nation's history; Whereas, members of Congress and other Americans desire to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the World War I centennial; Whereas, the National Park Service, the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, and the American Battle Monuments Commission have specifically determined that either adding a new National World War I Memorial in the vicinity of the District of Columbia War Memorial or re-designating the District of Columbia Memorial as a National World War I Memorial would violate the Commemorative Works Act: Be it therefore Resolved that, the District of Columbia War Memorial should remain a memorial dedicated solely to the D.C. residents who served in World War I; and, be it therefore Resolved that, a proper location for a memorial dedicated to all Americans who served in World War I shall be determined; and, be it therefore Resolved that, Congress should authorize a study or commission to determine a proper location for a memorial dedicated to all Americans who served in World War I.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce an essential bill for the redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront in the District of Columbia. The bill transfers unencumbered ownership of the Southwest Waterfront from the federal government to the District. Although the District has owned the Waterfront since the 1960s, the land has been encumbered by restrictions put in place by Congress before the District got home rule; a time when development by the city was not contemplated. My bill updates outdated legislation and allows for the highest and best use of the land. The bill would amend the D.C. Code to allow the District to transfer the property by quitclaim deed, to update the site description of the land to conform with its current configuration, to allow for the sale of condominiums on the land, to remove references to an urban renewal plan that has expired, to remove references to the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency, which no longer exists, and to expand the permissible uses for the Fish Market in order to allow the sale of other foods, beverages, produce, and flowers. The District of Columbia has created a 21st-century vision for the Southwest Waterfront and is actively engaged in a revitalization and redevelopment that will draw visitors down 10th street from the National Mall. However, as was typical for District land before home rule, the original law restricts the use of the land along the waterfront to lease-only arrangements, driving down the useful value of the land and making it impossible to replace antiquated structures with new buildings for new uses. The restrictions on the land serve no federal purpose and seriously limit needed revenue for the city. Federal officials have been consulted on the transfer and have no objection to it. The federal government has no interest in the waterfront land other than the Maine Lobsterman Memorial and the Titanic Memorial, which have been carved out of the transfer. Because of the current restrictions on the land, part of the waterfront is an underused eyesore. However, the redevelopment will bring 2.5 million square feet of mixed-use development to the waterfront, including public and private docks, restaurants, office buildings and residences, providing jobs and local revenue at a time when they are most needed. This is a noncontroversial bill that removes out-of-date laws and involves no cost to the federal government. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend my Service Academy Selection Board, an exemplary group of selfless, dedicated Washingtonians who have served our country and have been so generous to continue their service by helping me select nominees to the United States Service Academies. Although academy nominations and appointments are attributed to me, they are not, by any means, my singular effort. Most of the work, involving careful vetting and painstaking evaluation of each applicant, as well as encouragement and recruitment, is done largely by my Service Academy Selection Board. The work of the Service Academy Selection Board is so critical to our nation that I ask the entire House to join me in recognizing and thanking the members of the District of Columbia's Service Academy Selection Board, who recommend to me the nominees from whom the academy selects appointees: Cdr. Kerwin E. Miller, USN (Ret), Chair, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1975, attorney in private practice; George R. Keys, Jr., immediate past Chair, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1970, Rhodes Scholar, partner with Jordan & Keys LLP; Wesley Brown, Chair Emeritus, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1949, Academy's first African- American graduate, for whom the Academy's new field house is named; Steven Blust, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Class of 1971, President of the Institute of International Containers, former Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission; Capt. Karen Courington, USAFR, Air Force Academy Admissions Liaison Officer, C-17 pilot, employee of Deutsche Bank designing their ``Veterans on Wall Street'' initiative; David Gragan, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1977, Senior Procurement Executive of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of the Treasury; Anthony K. Hollinger, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1987, established a Veterans Affairs program for the University of the District of Columbia; OV Johnson, U.S. Air Force, retired 1974, served in the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations; Daniel J. Keenaghan, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 2000, international trade specialist who specializes in logistics and export promotion; Charles B. King, III, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1994, Risk Analysis Branch Chief with the Transportation Security Administration; Riaz Latifullah, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Class of 1978, employee of AARP, Inc; Tony Montes, U.S. Army veteran, longtime D.C. resident and community activist; James Nelson Rimensnyder, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 2005, whom I nominated in 1999 and 2000, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006-2007 as an armor platoon leader and again in 2008-2009 as a Task Force Intelligence officer; Barbara J. Smith, Chair of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Professional Development at Bowie State University and; Joel C. Spangenberg, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 2000, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. These D.C. residents each have lead outstanding lives of professional accomplishment and service. Together, they make an awe-inspiring group. Their service to the District of Columbia and to our nation has been outstanding in every way. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting the District of Columbia Service Academy Selection Board for their diligent work and dedication to our youth, for their continuing service, and for their commitment to our country.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my 2011 appointees to the United States Service Academies, an outstanding group of young Washingtonians who have a combination of academic and athletic prowess, dedication, and leadership, as they leave their families to embark on their new lives in service to the nation: William Westbrook Moore, Atticus Lee Sawatzki, William Guy Merkle, and James David Rice. William Westbrook Moore is my appointee to the United States Military Academy. He graduated from the Potomac School, where he was a varsity athlete and founder of the school's chess club. Atticus Lee Sawatzki departs for the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He is an alumnus of St. Anselm's Abby School, was a lifeguard for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and is an active parishioner at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, K Street. William Guy Merkle, whom I have twice had the pleasure of nominating to the United States Air Force Academy, is an alumnus of St. Anselm's Abby School. Bill is a thespian, crack shot, and an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He returns to the Air Force Academy after completing his two year mission for his church in Japan. James David Rice leaves for the United States Naval Academy Prep School. He graduated from The Bullis School, where he was both a varsity athlete and an honors student. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking these young men in advance for their service, in wishing them success, and in offering them the hearty congratulations of the House of Representatives.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Sam Gilliam, a world-renowned artist, an innovative leader in artistic expression, and a resident of the District of Columbia. Sam Gilliam's work has been acclaimed throughout our nation. We now ask the Congress of the United States to officially recognize Sam Gilliam as well. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Sam has spent most of his distinguished career as a resident of the nation's capitol. Through the guidance and encouragement of his elementary school teachers, Sam discovered his interest in painting and artistic expression while growing up in Louisville, Kentucky. After graduating from Central High School in Louisville, Sam earned a bachelor of arts degree in fine arts and a master's degree in painting at the University of Louisville. He taught in Louisville public schools and served in the United States Army. Sam Gilliam's work is distinctive in its creative artistry, using bright, piercing colors (which solidified his place at the Washington Color School), distorting geometric shapes, and displaying unframed painted canvases, enabling the work of art and background to blend as one. As a member of the Smithsonian Art Collectors Program, Sam has produced several pieces to benefit arts education programs at the Smithsonian Institution, including In Celebration, 1987 and Museum Moment, 2009. In 2005, the District's prestigious Corcoran Gallery of Art honored Sam with a retrospective exhibition that highlighted his artistic achievements. Sam's first solo exhibition was featured in the District's Jefferson Place Gallery, and the current exhibition of his work at two premiere galleries in the city, the Philips Collection and the Katzen Center at American University, indicate continuing appreciation of his unique pieces. Sam has been awarded numerous honorary degrees, and his work has been featured throughout the world, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Tate Gallery, London; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; and the Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France. Sam's new piece for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (Metro) Art-in-Transit Program, From a Model to a Rainbow, is being displayed at the Metro underpass at 4th and Cedar Street, NW near Takoma Station. I will be among the guests to recognize Sam on Saturday, June 11, 2011, at Takoma Station. The District of Columbia and its residents are particularly grateful for Sam Gilliam's work in developing the next generation of artists by mentoring and teaching art classes to DC Public Schools students. His studio is located in the historic Shaw neighborhood, an area of the city known for its diverse forms of music, dance, and culture. For a lifetime of achievements and for continuing contributions to the arts, as recognized throughout the nation and the world, I ask the House to join me in celebrating the uniquely distinctive place of Sam Gilliam in the arts.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me on June 11, 2011, in recognizing Kidney Action Day in the District of Columbia to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease and of the importance of early detection and treatment. Over 31 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, but many people are unaware that they may be at risk. In the District, there are nearly 6,000 people on dialysis and 1,600 people on the kidney transplant waiting list. Not only does the District have the highest rate of kidney disease in the nation, kidney disease is the 13th leading cause of death here. In areas of the city that are heavily populated with minorities, the rate of kidney disease is double the national average. Since chronic kidney disease can go undetected for years, people are urged to get screened for it, either through blood or urine tests. Early stage kidney disease can be treated with medications, healthy eating and exercise. I cannot stress enough the importance of early detection and treatment of kidney disease, which, if undetected, can lead to diabetes and hypertension, which, in turn, increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart-related deaths. As chronic kidney disease progresses, patients may require dialysis, which helps clean the bloodstream of toxic waste, or a kidney transplant. On June 11, 2011, I will attend the American Kidney Fund's ``Steps that Count'' walk at Nationals Park here to raise awareness of kidney disease and to call on the residents of the District to get screened for it. I ask the House to join me on June 11, 2011, to recognize Kidney Action Day in the District of Columbia and to urge Americans to get screened for kidney disease.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. I appreciate the opportunity to speak, and I withdraw my amendment.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would restore $500,673,000 to the Department of Homeland Security that has been cut entirely from this appropriation. This is the most important construction, private or public, ongoing in our country today, because it involves a secure facility that the Congress has voted to consolidate in order to protect the United States of America in the homeland. This entire appropriation cuts billions of dollars in order to reduce spending. I wager that there is no cut quite like this one, because this cut guarantees that the taxpayers will be charged more precisely because of this cut. Already, the reduction in funding to the 2011 appropriation for consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security has cost taxpayers $69 million. Increased costs for this construction of Federal property come from, in this case, lease holdovers, short- term lease extensions, and horrific inefficiencies now imposed because the integration of construction of this mammoth facility will be delayed and interrupted. Any further reduction in funding will substantially increase even more the total costs of this huge project, the largest since the Pentagon. Until now, it was on budget and on time. Remember why Congress voted to consolidate these 22 agencies in the first place. Congress has never formed one agency of 22 different agencies. They are spread all over this region. That is why the Bush and the Obama administrations and the Congress have pursued a consistent program to consolidate critical elements of the Department of Homeland Security. These DHS tenants now reside in the most expensive lease space in the United States, because that's what it is in this region, barring none except perhaps New York City. DHS spends hundreds of millions of dollars on leases throughout the entire region. The rapid consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security now underway will save billions, that's B, billions, in real estate costs, in addition to directing lease revenue to the GSA Federal Buildings Fund, which instead of using appropriated taxpayer dollars, uses agency rental payments to fund the construction and maintenance of Federal real estate giving taxpayers added savings. Currently, DHS is scheduled for full occupation by 2017. Every day of delay costs the taxpayers thousands of dollars. This is no way to do budget cutting. You don't cut what then costs you more in the short term and in the long term. Significant progress has already been made. Forty-five percent of the construction is complete, including the Coast Guard National Operations Center and the Coast Guard headquarters. You just don't interrupt a massive, complex building like this unless you want to spend more money than was anticipated. The timing of this amendment is critical to ensure that the project does not increase costs further. The continued dispersal of vital elements of this critically important agency, necessary for our security, undermines the DHS mission by impeding its operations here and throughout the country. We need quickly to fund this project. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment to restore funding for the consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters construction at St. Elizabeths in the District of Columbia. This amendment would restore $500,673,000 to the DHS management and operations appropriations account for the project. The amendment would fully fund the President's fiscal year 2012 DHS request for the project, as well as fund the outstanding balance of the President's fiscal year 2011 DHS request. The reduction in funding in fiscal year 2011 is expected to increase the total project cost by $69 million because of the loss of integrated construction sequencing and efficiencies between the U.S. Coast Guard building and the adjacent DHS Operations Center construction, in addition to the costs caused by lease holdovers and the short-term lease extensions for the delay for Mission Support consolidation. Any further reduction in funding will substantially increase the total cost of this huge project, which, until the cuts began, was on budget and on time. The benefits of the consolidation of the DHS headquarters at St. Elizabeths are twofold. First, Congress voted to consolidate the location of 22 DHS agencies because of the urgent need to improve the management of the agencies in the DHS, which are currently scattered in 40 different locations in the Washington metropolitan region. Consequently, the Bush and Obama Administrations and the Congress have pursued a program to consolidate critical elements of DHS on the federally-owned St. Elizabeths Campus. The DHS components identified for consolidation at the headquarters include the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and liaisons for agencies not being relocated there. Second, the General Services Administration (GSA) will relocate DHS tenants currently in expensive leased space to federally-owned space. DHS annually spends hundreds of millions of dollars for leases throughout the Washington region. The rapid consolidation of DHS, which is now underway, will allow the federal government to save billions of dollars in real estate costs, in addition to directing lease revenue to the GSA Federal Buildings Fund, which, instead of using taxpayer dollars, uses agency rental payments to fund the construction and maintenance of the federal real estate portfolio, an additional saving to taxpayers. The consolidation on St. Elizabeths is expected to include 4.5 million gross square feet of office space, with 3.5 million square feet on the West Campus and 750,000 square feet on the East Campus. Currently, the St. Elizabeths site is scheduled for full occupation in 2017. The DHS headquarters consolidation is expected to cost a total of $3.6 billion, with $2.2 billion coming from GSA and $1.4 billion from DHS. To date, the project has received $1.24 billion and there has been significant progress, including the groundbreaking for the first building on the site, a 1.2 million square foot project that includes a central utility plant and two seven-story parking garages, that will house the USCG headquarters. There has also been significant investment in the infrastructure of the campus, including construction of a perimeter fence and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. As of March 31, 2011, the USCG headquarters is 45% complete. Full funding of the FY 2012 request would ensure complete funding for, and allow occupation and use of, the USCG headquarters. My amendment is critical to ensure that the cost of the project does not increase because of delays. The continued dispersal of vital components of DHS, a critically important department, undermines its mission by seriously impeding its operations here and throughout the country. As ranking member of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over GSA and this project, I have held nearly half a dozen hearings and roundtables on the co-location and consolidation of DHS at St. Elizabeths. I am anxious to move forward with this project and look forward to the completion of the consolidation so that DHS can turn its full attention to its core mission. Unless somebody wants to speak on my amendment, I am prepared to withdraw it.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the 36th annual Capital Pride, a celebration of the national capital area's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) communities and their families and friends. In 1975, Deacon MacCubbin, owner of the Lambda Rising Bookstore in Dupont Circle, launched the first Capital Pride. It began as a block party on 20th Street, between R and S Streets, NW. By 1980, the festival had outgrown being a block party and moved to Francis Junior High School in 1981, with the Pride Parade becoming an annual part of the festivities. As Capital Pride continued to grow, it moved to Freedom Plaza in 1990 and then onto Pennsylvania Avenue in 1997. Today, Capital Pride consists of more than 10 days of events, including Trans Pride and Latino Pride, organized by the Capital Pride Planning Committee and dozens of local community partners. Capital Pride's 2011 theme, ``Celebration and Opportunity, Paving the Way,'' acknowledges the many successes of the GLBT community and the work that still needs to be done to ensure equality. This year, Capital Pride culminates with what has been declared D.C.'s best parade, the Capital Pride Parade, on June 11, and ``The Main Event,'' a street fair on Pennsylvania Avenue in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, on June 12. Capital Pride's producer, the Capital Pride Alliance, Inc., predicts an attendance of 250,000, making Capital Pride one of the largest GLBT festivals in the United States. I have marched in Pride parades since coming to Congress to emphasize universal human rights and the importance of enacting federal legislation to secure those rights for the GLBT community. Congress has much work to do. We must pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Respect for Marriage Act, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, and the Uniting American Families Act. I ask the House to join me in recognizing the 36th annual Capital Pride and to welcome its attendees.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the 21st annual DC Black Pride celebration, to be held in Washington, DC on May 26-30, 2011. The DC Black Pride celebration is a multi-day festival featuring music, dance, films, a poetry slam, a church service, community town hall meetings, and a health and wellness expo, among other things. The DC Black Pride celebration is widely considered to be one of the world's preeminent Black Pride celebrations, drawing more than 30,000 people to the Nation's capital from across the United States as well as from Canada, the Caribbean, South Africa, Great Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The DC Black Pride celebration has deep roots in the DC community, dating back to 1975. It grew out of the Club House's annual Memorial Day weekend celebration, called the Children's Hour. After the Club House closed in 1990, local individuals and groups kept the tradition alive by organizing the first DC Black Pride celebration on May 25, 1991, at Banneker Field. The celebration has grown from a few hundred people to the thousands expected for the 2011 celebration. The DC Black Pride celebration fostered the beginning of the International Federation of Black Prides and the ``Black Pride Movement,'' which now consists of 40 Black Pride celebrations on three continents. Fittingly, the DC Black Pride celebration's organizing body, Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day, Inc., a local affiliate of the International Federation of Black Prides, chose ``21 Years and Legal!'' as the theme for this year's celebration. The theme reflects the 21 years DC Black Pride has fulfilled its mission to increase awareness of and pride in the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender African- American community, as well as support for organizations that focus on health disparities, education, youth and families. DC Black Pride is led by a volunteer Board of Directors, which coordinates this annual event and smaller events throughout the year. We are pleased to also recognize DC Black Pride 2011 board members: George Birdson, Jimma Elliott-Stevens, Earl Fowlkes, Jr., and Danielle King. I ask the House to join me in recognizing the 21st annual DC Black Pride celebration, and to welcome its attendees.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Tax Parity for Non-Resident Professional Athletes Act of 2011, at the request of the D.C. Council, which unanimously passed a Sense of the Council resolution, introduced by D.C. Council members Jack Evans and Harry Thomas, Jr., calling on me to introduce the bill in Congress. The bill would amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to allow the District to impose a tax on income earned in the District by nonresident professional athletes, just as a number of states currently do. For example, California received $102 million in tax revenue from income earned by non-resident athletes in 2006-2007. Tennessee raised $1.1 million in tax revenue from visiting athletes, which was used for municipal parks and recreation projects. The bill does not tax the income of citizens of neighboring states. It is those states, not visiting athletes, that Congress intended to protect with the Home Rule Act provision that prohibits D.C. from taxing non-resident income. The District continues to be responsible for providing state-like services to D.C. residents, in addition to providing services to non-residents and the federal government, despite congressionally imposed restrictions on the District's revenue-raising capacity. The prohibition on taxing non- resident income should not be stretched to cover visiting athletes, a group not intended to be covered by the prohibition in the Home Rule Act. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Edwin K.``Ned'' Zechman, Jr. for over 30 years of service, with 16 years as President and CEO, at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, often referred to as Children's Hospital. Under Mr. Zechman's leadership, Children's Hospital, which serves children from the District of Columbia, this region, and across the country, has become a national and international leader in pediatric care, advocacy, research and education. Children's Hospital is technologically advanced, community oriented, and fiscally responsible. Mr. Zechman's retirement marks a milestone in the hospital's history of great service and quality healthcare. Last year alone, Children's Hospital had more than 370,000 outpatient visits in 45 specialties. The hospital performed nearly 15,000 surgeries on children of all ages, from babies a few hours old to high school students. Children's Hospital leads the way in developing and providing innovative treatments for childhood illnesses and injuries, with a cardiac intensive care unit, a neuro-intensive care unit, and a Level I pediatric trauma center, as well as with its Research Institute, Heart Institute, and Brain Tumor Institute. Last fall, Children's Hospital opened a new emergency department at United Medical Center (UMC) in Southeast Washington, DC, staffed by doctors, nurses and clinical team members from Children's Hospital, providing children and families east of the Anacostia River with a full range of emergency care services. Children's Hospital used to see 8,000 to 10,000 emergency visits per year from patients near UMC, but now, these patients can receive the same level of care closer to home, instead of commuting to Northwest, where Children's Hospital is located. In addition to the commitment and service of all staff and personnel at Children's Hospital, Mr. Zechman's wonderful leadership has taken Children's National Medical Center to the next level of quality healthcare, making it a national and international model for children's hospitals. I ask the House to join me in congratulating Edwin K. ``Ned'' Zechman, Jr. on his retirement from Children's National Medical Center and thanking him for his years of commitment and service to the children and families of the District of Columbia.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, in honor of National Preservation Month, I rise to reintroduce the National Mall Revitalization and Designation Act. The National Mall is Washington's most neglected and underutilized federal property, despite being so well-known and treasured. The Mall lacks everything that this majestic natural wonder deserves, from an official identity to basic amenities. My bill authorizes the National Capital Planning Commission, NCPC, to expand the boundaries of the Mall where commemorative works may be located, requires NCPC to study the commemorative works process, and requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit a plan to Congress to enhance visitor enjoyment, amenities and cultural experiences in, and the vitality of, the Mall within 180 days. I worked closely with NCPC and other agencies in drafting the bill. The bill would give NCPC the responsibility and necessary flexibility to designate the Mall area for commemorative works for the first time and to expand the Mall area for that purpose when appropriate. The bill requires NCPC to accommodate future commemorative works and cultural institutions. Tourists and workers downtown should be able to walk to the Mall and hear terrific music and other entertainment, from string quartets to poetry readings, perhaps during lunch at attractive tables where good--not fast--food is available. Residents of the city and region should be able to find space for fun and games beyond the cramped space between Third Street and the Lincoln Memorial. Bordered by world-class cultural institutions, the Mall itself has been reduced to a lawn with a few--too few--ordinary benches and a couple of fast food stands. The Mall needs a total makeover for the 21st century that would be worthy of Pierre L'Enfant's vision for the city he planned and the McMillan plan, which is largely responsible for what is referred to today as the Mall--the space between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. In writing the bill, I recognized that the federal funds needed to make the Mall the 21st century destination it should be will not be forthcoming in this fiscal climate. Nevertheless, we must move now to begin to rescue this space, which has been damaged by heavy use and is often used by pedestrians as no more than a throughway, despite its magnificent potential. With the necessary imagination, making the Mall an inviting place with cultural and other amenities is achievable now. The NCPC is well on its way to meeting the bill's requirement for an expansive, 21st century definition of the Mall. Frustrated by continually fighting off proposals for new monuments, museums, and memorials on the already crowded Mall space, I asked the NCPC to devise a mall presentation plan. In 2003, Congress amended the Commemorative Works Act to create a reserve area--a no-build zone where new memorials may not be built. This action was helpful in quelling some but by no means all of the demand from groups for placement of commemorative works on what they view as the Mall. Recognizing the need for more commemorative works sites, NCPC and the Commission on Fine Arts, CFA, released a National Capital Framework Plan in 2009, which identifies sites near the Mall that are suitable for new commemorative works, including East Potomac Park, the Kennedy Center Plaza, and the new South Capitol gateway. Five new prestigious memorials are scheduled for such sites, including the Eisenhower Memorial and the U.S. Air Force Memorial. I appreciate that NCPC and the CFA work closely with the District of Columbia in designating off- Mall sites for new monuments. The District welcomes the expanded Mall into our local neighborhoods to increase the number of tourists that visit them, enhancing the work of the District of Columbia government and the local organizations such as Cultural Tourism that offer tours of historic District neighborhoods. The off-Mall sites for monuments also complement development of entire new neighborhoods near the Mall, particularly the District's redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront and work on The Yards, which, under my bill, now includes a waterfront park and eventually will include a mixed-use public-private development. The Mall Revitalization and Designation Act is the first step in an effort to focus Congress on finally giving the Mall its due after decades of neglect and indifference. The bill starts at the beginning-- expanding what we mean by the Mall, and taking the first steps to breathe life into a space that is meant for people to enjoy.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Training Act of 2011 requires states to use the one half of one percent of funds now available under 23 USC 140(b) for federal highway construction training, which is necessary to combat a serious skills shortage as the current cohort of journeymen and other skilled workers is retiring, and also counters the effects of past discrimination in the construction industry. The current surface transportation law, TEA- 21 (23 USC 140), permits states to use one-half of one percent of highway funds to administer highway construction training, but the states are not required to do so. In fact, most states do not commit transportation and infrastructure funds to training, and training that does occur is spotty. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has already set an important precedent for my bill by specifically including training funds, at my request, in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), with $3 million specifically targeted for training in the General Services Administration section of the bill. Also included in ARRA was $20 million for federal highway training programs. The bill is also necessary to finally afford minorities and women the opportunity to gain a first foothold in the high-wage construction industry, as part of the cohort replacing retiring construction workers. Although deliberate exclusion has largely receded, a significant training deficit in the skilled construction trades remains. As the large cohort of baby-boom construction workers begin to retire, the bill will help meet the nation's need to train a new generation, from every race and background. At the same time, the bill also will ensure compliance with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bar discrimination in the use of government dollars.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Open and Transparent Smithsonian Act to further ensure that the Smithsonian Institution is accountable to the public for the taxpayer funds it receives. This bill provides that, for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act, the Smithsonian shall be considered a Federal agency. The bill complements my Smithsonian Modernization Act and my Smithsonian Free Admission Act. I introduce these bills today, to make the Smithsonian accountable for the 70 percent of its funding that comes from annual Federal appropriations. Although the Smithsonian was created by Congress as a Federal trust, it receives the great majority of its funding from the Federal Government, much like Federal agencies, and had always been treated as a Federal agency. However, in the 1990s, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that the Smithsonian is not a Federal agency for purposes of FOIA and the Privacy Act. Indeed, the Smithsonian's website clearly states that it is ``not an Executive Branch agency, and FOIA does not apply to the Smithsonian.'' This lack of transparency is of great concern, particularly in light of the Smithsonian's recent history of secrecy and corruption. In 2007, an independent review committee found that the Smithsonian Board of Regents had violated many principles of good management during the tenure of Lawrence Small as Secretary of the Smithsonian. The report indicated that the Board had failed to provide desperately needed oversight, had overcompensated the Secretary, and had allowed the creation of an ``insular culture.'' The report further found that the Smithsonian's deputy secretary and chief operating officer, Sheila Burke, had frequent absences from her duties because of outside activities, including service on corporate boards, for which she earned more than $1.2 million over 6 years. Importantly, the report indicated that Smithsonian leaders took great measures to keep secret these missteps and mismanagement. While the Smithsonian now has new leaders who are moving away from the mistakes of the past, its transparency should not depend on who is in charge. An entity supported primarily by the Federal Government must be accountable to the American people. The American people have a right to know that their interests are being served. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.