Grace Napolitano

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Henrietta Villaescusa, who passed away at the age of 84 on March 6, 2005, in Tucson, Arizona. As we join her family and friends who mourn her loss, I would like to acknowledge Henrietta for her remarkable contributions to public health, the nursing profession and the Hispanic community. Henrietta Villaescusa was a pioneering Latina at a time when Hispanic women were not widely represented in the nursing field. Henrietta served as the only Hispanic public health supervising nurse for the Los Angeles City Health Department. She later broke boundaries in the federal government as the first Hispanic nurse to serve as Health Administrator for the Health Services Administration and the first Mexican-American Chief Nurse Consultant in the Office of Maternal and Child Health. Henrietta eventually rose to the position of chief nurse of the Division of Maternal and Child Health, where she was responsible for all nursing aspects of the nation's maternal and children's health programs. Henrietta's work was not limited to America. She helped improve health care in Latin America through her work at the Alliance for Progress, the President's Office of Community Development and the Agency for International Development. Nor was her work limited by her retirement. After officially retiring in 1985, Henrietta was asked by the Surgeon General to help develop the Hispanic Health Initiative. President Reagan's Health and Human Services Secretary appointed her to the Task Force on Minority Health to advocate for Hispanic health needs. Henrietta also edited the first Hispanic Health Bibliography, which highlighted Hispanic health research needs and the need to prepare more Hispanic health professionals to conduct such research. Henrietta gave so much of herself to assist others. She mentored Hispanic leaders and shared her vision with the federal government, local community health programs in Los Angeles, and organizations including the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organization and the Mexican American National Women's Association. Her accomplishments as a Latina, nurse and activist for others less fortunate are truly extraordinary. She will be greatly missed by those whose lives she touched.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, as a general rule, when Congress transfers Federal lands into other hands, the United States taxpayers should be compensated for the fair market value of the lands being transferred. In this instance, however, the locations of these parcels as well as the fact that they are currently in use as local cemeteries, and I have no idea how long it has been used as cemeteries but I am assuming it has been a while, justify the making of these transfers free of charge. As a result, we will not oppose H.R. 541. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly want to add my support of the bill. My understanding is there were 1.2 acres allocated to the same group back in 2000 and now this additional land. I realize it is minuscule, but certainly be it far from us to be in denial of a proper respect of those who are buried there in the unmarked graves. I concur and urge support. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, we strongly support passage of H.R. 18 which will provide financial assistance for cleaning up contaminated drinking water supplies in the Santa Ana River watershed in Southern California. There have been many problems in Southern California as well as in other parts of the Nation that deal with perchlorate, and this is just but one of them. We hope that we will be able to shed some light on how we can do a better job of assisting our communities in being able to put that water back to good use, and that is by working with the municipalities. I commend the principal sponsor of H.R. 18, the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), for his determination and hard work to get this legislation enacted. I also greatly appreciate the support and leadership demonstrated by the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) on this very critical and important matter. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and colleague from Southern California (Mr. Baca) who has been very, very adamant about getting this addressed. (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We have heard my colleague indicate how important the cleanup of water is, and I would urge my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Linder), sponsor of H.R. 135, the Twenty-First Century Water Commission Act of 2005, to consider that as an issue because that is something that affects, like the gentleman stated, 40-some odd States that are beginning to understand the harshness of reality and that is that we have contaminated aquifers and water resources. So, with that, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) for bringing that to our attention. I do support the bill and hope my colleagues will do likewise. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I could not agree more with the intent of the bill. I certainly hope it takes less than the 12 years it took to do the Southern California Water Study. We do have a time frame for this to happen. It is critical for us to recognize that all areas of our country have water needs, and we need to consolidate how we address them and be together with the suppliers so we can move ahead with a comprehensive plan.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 135. This legislation, as explained by my colleague, would establish the 21st Century Water Policy Commission to study Federal, State, local and private water management programs in order to develop recommendations for a comprehensive national water strategy. The objectives of H.R. 135 are not only worthwhile but a necessity for the country, and we appreciation the cooperation we have received from the sponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

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

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, the Lincoln National Forest land exchanges takes approximately 80 acres of forest land in the Lincoln National Forest and exchanges that for private land currently owned by Lubbock Christian University. I would hope that this is in perpetuity rather than to be put up for sale at some time in the future. This has been a very grave area for me. Our committee worked hard in the 108th Congress to refine the language that would make this exchange fair to the American taxpayer. The bill we are considering today requires that the exchange be of equal value. If the land appraisers determine the parcels are not of equal value, the bill provides for equalization of values through cash payment. We are aware that land exchanges can often be controversial and contrary to the public interest. However, in this case we have worked to ensure a fair deal which both improves the National Forest by consolidating land ownership and enables Lubbock Christian University to extend its summer camp. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 94, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 22, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the life of Manuel A. Gonzalez Jr., a California corrections officer and family friend, who was brutally stabbed to death by an inmate at the California Institute for Men at Chino. He is the first corrections officer to be killed in the line of duty in California since 1985. Manuel was born on September 15, 1961, in East Los Angeles. His family moved to Chicago, where he spent part of his youth before returning to Santa Fe Springs, where he made his home. He graduated from Pioneer High School and subsequently joined the United States Army. He spent his tour of duty in Germany, where he was joined by his brother David and his cousin Alex. Manuel remained in the Army Reserve until 1988. Upon his return from the Army, Manuel made his home in Whittier. His uncle, a corrections sergeant, recruited him for the Department of Corrections. The idea of a law enforcement career had always interested Manuel, so he joined the Department in 1988. He was excited by the challenge of the job and put much effort into his work. He was first assigned to Corcoran Prison where he gained valuable experience. In 1993, he was transferred to Lancaster Prison and became a seasoned officer. To be closer to his family, Manuel was transferred to the California Institute for Men at Chino in 1998. There he became an expert in gang identification and a leader among his peers, who had great respect for him. He had opportunities to be promoted to sergeant and to transfer to parole, but he remained on the front line because it was the job he loved. Manuel loved sports. He enjoyed watching his favorite teams; the Raiders, Lakers, Dodgers, U.S.C. basketball and football, and the L.A. Kings. He was also very active with his children, taking them to football and baseball practice and coaching as time allowed. Manuel leaves behind six children. His 22 year old son Mark is following in his father's footsteps. Mark spent four years in the U.S. Navy and is an Iraq War veteran. He is now pursuing a career in law enforcement. Steven is 17, Roxanna 15, Jessica 14, Manuel 4, and Gustavo 3. Manuel is also survived by his parents, Manuel Sr. and Bertha, his brother David, and sisters Rosalinda and Delia. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to Manuel. He knew the danger he faced but would not be deterred from his duties walking the toughest beat in California. I have spent time with the family during this tragedy, and I wish to express my sincere sympathy to them as well as the extended family who have all been devastated by the loss of one so loved. The entire law enforcement community, especially the California Department of Corrections is in mourning for a lost brother. I ask that all of my colleagues join me to honor this fallen hero who has made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I stand today with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus as they affirm their commitment to ensuring the vote of every American is counted, something I hope everybody in this body supports. As Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I am proud to be a voice for this long proud history of Hispanics in this Nation. Since the earliest days of this country, Latinos too have died and fought for the ideals that our Nation was founded upon, but unfortunately we know that many in our Latino community feel disenfranchised from our political process. Our democracy depends on full participation of all our citizenry and a deep and abiding faith in our electoral system. For the sake of this country, I ask Congress to do all they can to commit themselves to ensuring that our elections are not clouded in question and that we can truly proclaim ourselves a model for the rest of the world.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor a valued colleague and true gentleman, the late Congressman Bob Matsui. I met him when I served as a state legislator within his congressional district in Sacramento. Since that time, I have been taken by his approachability and his ability to make those around him feel that he is truly listening to their concerns. During his 26 years in Congress, he has been a champion on issues that affect the lives of all Californians and Americans, from protecting Social Security to working for civil rights. Congressman Matsui's fight against privatizing Social Security showed his deep commitment to fighting for the poor or less fortunate in our country. He led the efforts to ensure its fundamental purpose was never compromised. Congressman Matsui's strong belief in social justice is apparent by looking at the legislation he championed. He drafted bills that became the backbone for child welfare reform, proposing to expand the social services available to at-risk children and families in the child welfare, mental health and juvenile justice systems. He also fought welfare changes, arguing that adequate job training and education programs were essential to helping parents become self-sufficient. And his bipartisan work to provide health care coverage to uninsured children became the basis of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. His personal journey, however, could be his most lasting legacy. After spending his infancy in an internment camp during World War II, Congressman Matsui led the legislative effort to compensate victims of the camps and officially apologize to those held there. A grateful Japanese-American community is indebted to his work, as are the rest of us. I want to send my prayers and condolences to his family: his wife Doris, son Brian, daughter-in-law Amy and granddaughter Anna. For those of us who remain in Congress, we would like you to know that we will continue to fight for the causes and ideals that Bob fought for his entire life.

Mr. NAPOLITANO

Mr. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Margaret Avila, my good friend and tireless advocate of nursing. Ms. Avila is one of California's prominent educators in the field of nursing and plans to retire on December 10th after 30 years of dedicated service to her community. Ms. Avila has been an integral part and asset in the Congressional 38th District Health Consortium. She was the Chair of the Consortium of Health, Health Professions, and Mental Health Committees. As an educator she designed, developed, and implemented curricula for nursing students from entry level to licensed and post-graduate programs for over 15 years. She taught both nursing professionals and medical professionals at a family practice residency level. Ms. Avila created an innovative Public Health Nursing Practice Model that completely reoriented and renewed the public health nursing practice in Los Angeles County. The Model incorporates the concepts of Healthy People 2010, and it has been used in improving the quality and efficiency of the public health nursing practice. The creation and use of this model in one of the largest, most diverse, and dynamic settings in the country represents a tremendous advance in strengthening and expanding population-focused public health nursing. The influence of the model has extended well beyond the boundaries of California, with its adoption by the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. Margaret Avila provided the strategic and creative leadership for this effort. Her career path has included excellence in practice, in education, and in leadership. Ms. Avila is a native of Los Angeles County and a product of the California educational system. She received a Diploma of Nursing from St. Vincent's College of Nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles. She has practiced as a staff nurse, a public health nurse, a nurse practitioner, a state nurse consultant, and an adjunct nursing faculty member. She has served as the Director of Nursing at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health since 1999. She currently serves on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. Despite all of her success, Ms. Avila is never content to rest on her laurels. She has dedicated her life and knowledge to increasing opportunities for others. As a result, the Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association awarded Ms. Avila the 2004 Lillian Wald Service Award. She received this award by demonstrating initiative and resourcefulness in developing efforts to improve the health of the public through political, legislative, and interdisciplinary activism. This noteworthy achievement highlighted her leadership role in promoting social reform activities for client groups, influencing health policy and health laws, strengthening public health nursing practice, and collaborating with other health care workers, legislators, and public officials. Margaret Avila is retiring as Director of Nursing for the Los Angeles Public Health Department. She is going into private practice and is establishing a woman's clinic in the underserved Pico Union area of Los Angeles. Her goal is to provide health access to low income women to improve their quality of life. She also plans to seek her doctorate degree. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to personally acknowledge and commend Margaret for her dedication to the field of nursing which enriches and promotes the health of our community. She is a model of the passionate American educator, and a devoted and involved citizen. I know the rest of the House will join me in congratulating Ms. Margaret Avila and wishing her success in her future endeavors.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1284, legislation to increase the spending cap imposed on the San Gabriel Basin Demonstration Project. Funding level for this program authorized in 1992 was capped at $38 million in 1996. I want to thank my California colleagues on the other side of the aisle--Chairman Dreier, Chairman Calvert and Chairman Pombo--for their continued assistance to me and other Members who are working to ensure a clean and reliable water supply for their local communities. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Rahall and Congresswoman Solis for their support of this bill. H.R. 1284, if enacted, would simply allow cities of Industry, El Monte and South El Monte located in and near my district throughout Southeast Los Angeles County to have the ability to request an additional $6.5 million in funding for assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for cleanup of volatile organic compounds or VOC's once they are able to secure 75 percent State and local matching fund. Although the authorizing amount under this bill was decreased from $12.5 million to $6.5 million by the Senate, local water agencies and municipalities serving residents throughout my district in the San Gabriel Valley remain supportive of this bill, and they are eager to continue their aggressive groundwater cleanup efforts with the assurance of continued Federal funding. I urge my House colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, October 3 through October 9 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. During this week, it is critical that Members of Congress and the American public recognize the increased mental health needs of our returning soldiers and veterans. As co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, I rise today to express my strong support for expansion of the mental health benefits offered to our veterans and the men and women currently serving in our armed services. Those who have witnessed the atrocities of war must have professional assistance to deal with the traumatic memories that they are going to live with for the rest of their lives. These traumatic memories can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a dangerous biological condition affecting a soldier's body, mind, and certainly family. Unfortunately, soldiers returning home often do not receive the comprehensive care they need. Some even sign their rights-to-service away. Many of the soldiers who served in recent wars in the Middle East have a desperate need for mental health services. Here are some alarming statistics. Out of 15,000 veterans returning from the Middle East who have utilized VA healthcare services, 12 percent presented symptoms related to psychological trauma. It is estimated that more than 25 percent of troops returning from Iraq are being examined for mental health concerns. These are startling statistics and dramatically demonstrate the need for more mental health services. We must concern ourselves that many soldiers find it difficult to obtain treatment or fail to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental illness due to a lack of sensitivity. Just look at our jails and our homeless population. Our communities and our social service system are affected, yet we refuse to admit a problem exists. I am also deeply troubled and concerned, as are many women Members of Congress, with our returning women soldiers who may have been exposed to the traumatic experience of sexual assault. For example, a horrendous 8 percent of female Gulf War Veterans experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault during deployment. The PTSD from sexual assault is just as harmful as combat related PTSD. This must cease immediately. In the past three decades, the Veterans' Administration has taken great strides toward better mental care services for men and women, and there is now a better understanding of PTSD because of research conducted through the VA health system. More remains to be done. Twenty-five years ago, the VA offered no PTSD services, no Vet Centers, no homeless services. Today these services exist though limited. However, many veterans will not benefit from these services because of a lack of access. There are just not enough Vet Centers, and the need for services will only continue to grow as a result of U.S. involvement throughout the world. Additional funding for the VA health system must be appropriated to improve access to care. The President's proposal of funding increase of only 2 percent for the VA health system does not even cover increases in cost of living and is insufficient even to maintain the inadequate current level services. The demand on PTSD services has not kept up with the increase need of services. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have greatly increased the need for these vital services. Some veterans who need weekly or biweekly follow-up appointments for therapy are forced to wait weeks, and in many cases even months. This is unconscionable. The VA does not have enough mental health professionals due in part to lack of funding, and the President's low funding proposal will exacerbate this problem. Our returning soldiers and veterans deserve better from their government. They have earned what was promised them. The Bush administration has repeatedly emphasized that the war in Iraq is not another Vietnam. However, by not providing veterans the necessary mental health resources, we can assure the same high rates of suicide that existed among Vietnam veterans. As we conclude our recognition of mental illness awareness this week, we will continue our fight to ensure that our veterans and service personnel will be able to receive the mental health services they deserve. Their sacrifice for our beloved country paid for them.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2828, the bill to reauthorize the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. I certainly associate myself with the comments of my colleagues, with the exception of Chairman Dreier's. I never saw the Governor at our meetings. I wish he had been. It would have helped. I would like to thank my good friend and colleague from California (Mr. Calvert). His tireless efforts during the past two sessions of Congress to bring all CALFED stakeholders to the table and resolve several complex issues relating to California water management have paid off. I also would like to thank and recognize the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and especially Senators Feinstein, Boxer, and Domenici for their excellent assistance while we worked to move this legislation throughout the 108th Congress. The State of California for the past several years has also been operating under the most restrictive allocation of Colorado River water in history. We have been, rightfully so, told by the Interior Department that we need to reduce our water take from the river by 800,000 acre-feet by the year 2016. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that this final version of H.R. 2828 addresses the current severe drought situation by including strong water-use efficiency language that would enable Southern California to take less water from Colorado River and the fragile bay-delta ecosystem through recycling and restoring our groundwater supply. As a former local and State-elected official, I have learned firsthand how groundwater reclamation activities combined with recycling efforts solved problems at the local level. Now, as a Member of Congress, I have also learned that these projects commonly referred to, and everybody knows them as title XVI, title XVI projects, provide solutions to some of the most challenging community issues we face today and will confront tomorrow, not only in Southern California but throughout the western States. Mr. Speaker, the key to solving California's water problems is in building partnerships. I sincerely appreciate the partnership and progress that we have all made on this legislation since its introduction last fall. I look forward to the enactment of H.R. 2828.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, as you have heard, there have been very many accolades directed at Jack Fields, former Member of Congress. I would like to repeat them all, but time is short. I have got to say that I have met the gentleman. I have heard of his accomplishments. I have been able to work with his staff. And I can tell you that he really, truly is a dedicated public servant. I am very happy to lend my support, and I trust that my colleagues will join us, as this was truly a person dedicated to representing his district and the people of the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support passage of the bill, H.R. 4232, that will name the Jack Fields Post Office in the City of Kingwood, Texas.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit on H.R. 2828. The passage of this motion would prevent a bipartisan measure from moving forward, and we have worked in good faith with the chairman and his staff to try to develop the California water bill. And I know, as has been said, we do not all get what we want. I know I did not get everything I needed and wanted. The gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert) has stripped numerous provisions that I objected to, including language relating to the Clean Water Act, the Beneficiary Pays, the role of the Record of Decision, and the role of the Interior Department in implementing the CALFED program. I am sympathetic to the issue. However, I cannot support this motion to recommit at this time.