Grace Napolitano

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Friday, June 22, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 544. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on agreeing to H. Res. 502, providing for the consideration of H.R. 2771, Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY 2008.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Friday, June 22, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote 543. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on ordering the Previous Question to H. Res. 502, providing for the consideration of H.R. 2771, Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY 2008.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 542. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on agreeing to H.R. 2764, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations for FY 2008.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 541. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the King of Iowa Amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 540. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on agreeing to the Pence of Indiana amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 539. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the Musgrave of Colorado amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Friday, June 22, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 548. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on passage H.R. 2771, Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY 2008.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Friday, June 22, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 546. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the Jordan of Ohio Amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Friday, June 22, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 547. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the motion to recommit on H.R. 2771, Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY 2008.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 538. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the Price of Georgia amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 537. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the Jordan of Ohio Amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 536. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on agreeing to the McGovern of Massachusetts Amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 21, 2007, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 535. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to the Boustany of Louisiana amendment.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend Josephine Santa Anna, an outstanding Californian, who has recently been honored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging with the Older Americans Recognition Award for 2007. This commendation is given for outstanding community service and recognizes Mrs. Santa Anna's service to the City of Santa Fe Springs, California, which has spanned over five decades. Mrs. Santa Anna is probably one of the most active older adults residing in the city of Santa Fe Springs. Her daily life is primarily driven by the priorities of each of her volunteer commitments, which have included (in part) serving as a Traffic Commissioner, Senior Citizens Advisory Committee Member and an active participant in the city's 50th Anniversary Community Planning Committee. Mrs. Santa Anna was one of a handful of people who volunteered every day for over 3 weeks to decorate the float that showcased the city's 50th anniversary in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. It was only after becoming physically ill from the fumes of the glue that she finally agreed to stay home, returning a few days later to help organize the city's New Year's Eve party. Mrs. Santa Anna has been recognized as the most reliable volunteer by two of the most active Senior Citizens' Clubs in the region, the Abraham Lincoln Club and John F. Kennedy Club. In 2006 she was elected by over four hundred seniors to serve in two of the most coveted positions on the Board of Directors for each Club. She has been recognized as the ``voice of the seniors'' by personally leading and shepherding voter registration drives and absentee ballot campaigns for the elderly. Mrs. Santa Anna, as a Cuban-American, has a strong passion for social justice issues, which empowers her to advocate on behalf of the elderly and the disenfranchised within her community. She was recently appointed to represent the City's Senior Citizens Advisory Committee as a member of the Seniors Grievance Committee, which addresses difficult and contentious issues for five senior citizens clubs in Santa Fe Springs. According to Santa Fe Springs City Councilmember, Luis M. Gonzalez, ``Her amazing mental agility and high physical energy combined with her passionate spirit provide for a truly engaged community gatekeeper who keeps our elected officials on the edge of their seats.'' Most importantly, Mrs. Santa Anna (lovingly known as ``Fina'') embodies the characteristics of a highly respected community leader. She is humble, lovable, and spirited. She is a passionate engine that mobilizes seniors, families, and elected officials for the betterment of Santa Fe Springs. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me, her family, friends, and community in honoring Josephine Santa Anna for her service in and contributions to the City of Santa Fe Springs.

Ms. NAPOLITANO

Ms. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 447, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Thank you, Congressman Gonzalez. Thank you for allowing the Hispanic Caucus to speak today on this very important issue of Hispanic veterans and the problems that we have seen them face. I would like to relate a story of SGT Henry Meraz, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, who lives in my district. Sergeant Meraz grew up in El Paso, Texas, moved to California at age 17, registered with the Selective Service and was drafted into the Army in 1967. He served honorably on the special forces team in Vietnam, receiving five distinguished medals and a Purple Heart before being honorably discharged in October of 1969. He has lived a full, normal, law abiding, average American life with his family. He is married, he has retired from his job. He has one child currently in the university and a second one who is a Los Angeles deputy sheriff. In 2003, Mr. Meraz, Sergeant Meraz, went to renew his driver's license, whereupon he was shocked to learn that he was not a U.S. citizen, that his Social Security was not being recognized and the administration had listed him as a Mexican national. Upon checking into this further, he could not find his birth certificate in the city he grew up in in El Paso. He then immediately applied for United States citizenship based upon his exemplary military service and quickly relinquished, gave up his voting rights he thought he had the right to exercise since his 18th birthday. His application for citizenship was denied on the grounds of failure to show good moral character, citing his illegal voting history as bad moral character, even though he was and convinced he was a U.S. citizen. His DD214, the military discharge, lists him as a U.S. citizen. Then Henry appealed the decision so he could legally become what he thought he was always, a U.S. citizen. He signed a statement and swore under penalty of perjury that the votes he cast under his sincere belief of citizenship were true. Psychiatrists provided letters attesting to Henry's good moral character and the sincerity of his prior belief in his citizenship, because he was undergoing psychiatric treatment for Vietnam War related PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. Thankfully, Henry won his appeal and will be taking his citizenship oath in my district at the City of Pomona, California, on May 30. I hope to be there to help him celebrate. This is not necessarily a unique story. Henry is but one of many, of many immigrants, who have served and continue to serve loyally and bravely in our Armed Services. As you have heard, there are currently nearly 69,000 immigrants in the United States Armed Services, which account, as you have heard again, for roughly 5 percent of our total Armed Forces. Any soldier will tell you, race, color, religion, et cetera, it does not matter when you are fighting the enemy shoulder to shoulder. These brave men and women risk their lives for this country. We should, we must embrace them. What matters is there is loyalty to our country and their undying love for it, evidenced by their willingness to die for it. They have earned and should receive the same benefits, the same rewards and the same recognitions, and they should be welcomed for the patriotic and brave dedicated service to our country through the small measure of granting them their citizenship. It is overdue and high time Congress addressed this issue. Just ask any veteran. It's the right thing to do. Our Congressional Hispanic Caucus is working on what we call the STRIVE Act, H.R. 1645, which addresses immigrants in our Armed Forces. The act, among other things, grants citizenship immediately after combat zone service, grants citizenship after 2 years of active duty, and creates a naturalization information telephone service for armed service members. We can do no less than to honor and respect the many immigrants who have served, those who are currently serving, and those who will continue to serve our country ensuring our country's freedom. Thank you Congressman Gonzalez, and thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The purpose of 1114, as introduced by the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee, the Honorable Representative Don Young, is to require the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey, to conduct a study on groundwater resources in the State of Alaska. The assessment and evaluation of current water resources is essential to understanding the needs of that community and its environment. H.R. 1114 would require the Bureau of Reclamation and the USGS to do exactly that, to study the water supplies, the water treatment, and the water distribution needs of Alaska. The bill requires the Secretary of Interior to report the findings of this study to Congress no later than 2 years after enactment. A study of this magnitude, Mr. Speaker, is vital to the proper management of our most precious natural resource. I do greatly appreciate the hard work of Representative Young on this legislation and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1114. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree more with Congressman Young about the importance of water for our country, and I would hope that we can work in a bipartisan manner to continue to look at other areas that will be in dire need of help, Federal help, to be able to determine what needs to be done to help them address their water concerns, and I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1140) to authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, and for other purposes.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of H.R. 1140, as introduced by my colleague and former chair of the subcommittee, Mr. Ken Calvert, is to authorize the Secretary to participate in the design, planning and construction of an advanced water treatment facility and recycled water system. The continuing drought and the decrease in snow pack have led to a reduction in water supplies in many parts of the West. Water recycling projects can help communities protect against the adverse consequences of drought. H.R. 1140 will authorize limited Federal financial assistance for two separate water recycling projects in Southern California. One, beautiful San Juan Capistrano, and the other in great San Clemente. Recycled water can satisfy many water demands, and the enactment of this bill will continue our efforts to encourage the administration to include recycling as an effective water management strategy. I note it was left out of Water 2025, and I want to be sure that we continue to push forward for that which is very, very helpful to many communities. I do urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 1140. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank staff on both sides who have been working collaboratively and in a bipartisan manner. Water knows no political colors or boundaries. I think we need to work together to be able to ensure that our economy continues growing, that water will continue to flow through the faucets and in the rivers and dams and aquifers. And along with Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Speaker, I want to urge all Members to look at their district water needs, and begin to understand it and be able to work with it so that we can protect the rest of the States that are going through, whether it is droughts or other areas that they need help with. I certainly want to thank my ranking member, Kathy McMorris, who isn't here, but certainly Mr. Lamborn, who has done a great job. And I want to thank him specifically, because to work collaboratively and get these bills out is critical not only in time but in the effect it has on our economy throughout the Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The purpose of H.R. 1025, as introduced by our colleague from Kansas (Mr. Moran), is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study on the Republican River Basin between Harlan County Lake in Nebraska and Milford Lake in Kansas. H.R. 1025 is a cooperative agreement between Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and the Federal Government that calls for a feasibility study of water resources of that river basin. The goal is to find new solutions to provide water reliability, increase the capacity of the current water storage, which is so important, and improve water management efficiency. This study is imperative to the responsible management of our water supplies. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1025. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.