Lucille Roybal-Allard

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the reauthorization of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation, known as the VRA. The VRA was first enacted in 1965. Since the passage of the VRA, many discriminatory practices and barriers to political participation have been eliminated, enfranchising millions of racial, ethnic, and language minority citizens. Sadly, in spite of these advances, this landmark legislation is still needed today. The fact remains that hate groups continue to exist in this country and unscrupulous politicians, for their own political advantage, continue efforts to disenfranchise vulnerable voters. Just last month, on June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in GI Forum v. Texas that a 2003 redistricting plan in Texas Congressional District 23 violated the voting rights of Latino voters. The Supreme Court ruling was a resounding affirmation of the need for the Voting Rights Act. The National Commission on the Voting Rights Act recently released a report which highlighted a troubling pattern of voter discrimination against minority citizens across the nation. Without a clean reauthorization of the VRA, key provisions that protect against these abuses will expire in 2007. One key provision that will expire is Section 203. Voting instructions and ballot information can be confusing even for the native-born, fluent in English. Section 203 ensures that tax-paying American citizens, who are not fluent English speakers, receive the language assistance they need in order to participate in the election process through well-informed choices. The ability to vote in an informed way will also encourage greater voter participation. Another key provision set to expire in 2007 is section 5. Section 5 requires certain states, with a history of discriminatory practices, to get permission from the Justice Department prior to changing their election process. This is a necessary safeguard against the potential disenfranchisement of poor and minority voters living in these States. Mr. Chairman, the Voting Rights Act continues to be as relevant today as it was in 1965. While the discrimination existing today may take a different form than that of 1965, the fact remains it still exists in 2006. The Voting Rights Act is an important deterrent and protection against the disenfranchisement of thousands of American citizens. As the model of Democracy for the world, we cannot afford to lose one of the fundamental expressions of our democracy--open, free and unencumbered elections. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort to renew the Voting Rights Act.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jo Merrill, a tireless public health advocate for healthy babies, on the occasion of her retirement from the March of Dimes after 22 years. Today is a bittersweet day for all of us in Congress who have been involved in the effort to improve the health of babies in this country. For many Members, Jo Merrill has become the face of the March of Dimes. She educated us with the facts, challenged us to take action, and supported our efforts to improve the lives of infants through public health policy. The legacy that she leaves behind is one of healthier babies across this country, and we here in Washington will miss her wisdom and her dedication. Jo joined the March of Dimes National Office of Government Affairs in 1984, after 10 years working for several members of Congress. The first twelve years of her tenure with the March of Dimes she focused on state based advocacy, working closely with their Chapters and Regional offices. In 1996 she moved to her current position as Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs. Jo has played a key role in gaining enactment of a number of bills important to the March of Dimes and the health of babies. Jo made an important contribution to the creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), an effort that has resulted in the expansion of health insurance for countless uninsured children across our country. She also gave guidance for the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998, which authorized a comprehensive birth defects surveillance, research and prevention program at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Children's Health Act of 2000, which established the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at CDC, expanded the National Folic Acid Education Campaign, and authorized a Federal newborn screening program. And finally, Jo was a strong advocate for the reauthorization of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities in 2003. It has been my privilege to have worked with Jo to improve the health of infants through two of these major public health efforts. The first was policy aimed at increasing folic acid consumption by women in order to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in babies. Jo was instrumental in helping my staff and I draft the Folic Acid Promotion and Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1999, which was successfully passed into law as part of the Children's Health Act of 2000. Since that time, Jo has been an effective advocate in pushing for increased funding for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to carry out a national folic acid education campaign, and we have been successful in making incremental progress each year in preventing these unnecessary birth defects. My staff and I have also worked closely with Jo on the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act. My bill will educate parents and health care providers about newborn screening, improve follow-up care for infants with an illness detected through newborn screening, and help states expand and improve their newborn screening programs, in order to help save thousands of babies each year from unnecessary disability and death. It is our hope that this legislation will pass the House and Senate in the very near future, and when it does, it will become yet another piece of the legacy that Jo leaves here in Washington. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to personally congratulate Jo Merrill on her retirement from the March of Dimes. I wish her the very best in her new life on the South Carolina coast. Charleston is inheriting a woman of great wisdom, charm and commitment, and I am sure that she will continue to make significant contributions in her efforts as a Public Affairs volunteer. It is my hope that this accomplished and deserving woman will find much happiness and fulfillment in this new phase of her life. Godspeed, Jo.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to House Resolution 861. While I reaffirm my commitment to do everything possible to support the men and women serving our country in Iraq, I will not dishonor them by supporting this sham resolution. This resolution is no more than a deceitful effort by the Republican leadership to justify an ill conceived war--a war based on faulty and manipulated intelligence and years of reckless and costly decisions. These decisions have increased threats to our national security and drained our treasury of valuable resources needed for critical programs such as education, healthcare, research and job training. The reality, Mr. Speaker, is that the President has lost support for this war as America has become increasingly aware of the Administration's deception and lack of a clear plan for success. A plan such as the one outlined in Congressman Murtha's resolution would protect our troops and bring them home as safely and as quickly possible. The resolution before this House is nothing more than a ploy to regain support and political advantage by once again blurring the lines between the devastating 9/11 attacks and the ongoing war in Iraq. This connection has repeatedly been discredited. In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States justifiably invaded Afghanistan in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden, who is the man we know was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. U.S. intelligence sources tell us we were close to capturing him, but then the President redirected our troops and resources to invade Iraq. As a consequence of the President's decision, the terrorist responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans is still free, Iraq has in fact become a breeding ground for terrorists, and the invasion has inflamed hatred towards our country and has jeopardized our ability to quickly form a strong international coalition to fight terrorism abroad and protect us at home. If the Republican leadership were sincere about honoring our troops, they would have provided them with the full equipment they are still lacking, and they would not for example, have passed a budget with a $6 billion cut to Veterans Healthcare, or rejected Democratic amendments to increase badly needed funding in the Military Quality of Life appropriations bill. Mr. Speaker, sending our troops into Iraq ill equipped, with no plan for success, and no exit strategy was a shameful mistake. For the Republican leadership to play politics with this resolution and mask true support for our troops with mere words and rhetoric is disgraceful. I, like every American, support our troops and honor their patriotism. Their heroism and resolve to fight for our country, despite the deplorable circumstance under which they were sent to Iraq, heightens my pride in their service and strengthens my resolve to bring them home quickly and safely. I will not dishonor them by supporting this Republican charade.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5441, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007. As a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, it has been an honor to work with Chairman Hal Rogers and with our ranking member, Martin Sabo, who sadly is retiring at the end of the 109th Congress. Congressman Sabo has served our country with honor and distinction. It has been a privilege to serve with him in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Chairman, Chairman Rogers has once again been presented with an inadequate budget allocation. He has done his best to strengthen our ability to effectively respond in times of national emergency and fund the critical programs in the bill that protect our Nation against terrorist attacks and national disasters. Nevertheless, I am disappointed that due to the lack of funds resulting from hundreds of billions of dollars in Republican tax cuts for the very rich, the bill reduces badly needed funds for programs critical to our first responders' ability to efficiently and safely respond to a terrorist attack or national disaster. I am particularly concerned about cuts to grants that fund communication capability such as interoperability. Radio interoperability is essential for our police, fire, and emergency medical service departments to communicate with each other in times of emergency. This was demonstrated by the horrors in New York on 9/11 when many of the New York police and firefighters died because of the inability to warn each other of the dangers ahead. Four and a half years after 9/11 it is unconscionable that interoperable communications remain an unmet urgent need. It is also unfortunate that the Democratic amendment by Mr. Obey that would have added funding for port security, border security, and first- responder equipment and training failed on a party line vote. I am also disappointed and greatly concerned that this bill's report expresses support for the expansion of the 287(g) program which allows State and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement functions. Many local law enforcement officers have stated that if they are required to enforce Federal immigration policies it would hamper their ability to successfully fight crime in their respective communities. Furthermore, I am disappointed that the report does not include a solution to the miscalculation of the Letters of Intent contract between the TSA and the Los Angeles World airports, LAWA. According to LAWA, TSA's contractor made errors in calculating the cost of installing inline baggage screening equipment at Los Angeles and Ontario airports. These calculating errors have resulted in a contract dollar amount lower than what is needed to complete the required equipment purchase and installation. I hope to work with the chairman in conference to resolve this problem. Despite these concerns, I thank Chairman Rogers and Congressman Sabo for including many of the items I requested in the Homeland Security report. The following report language addresses serious issues raised during subcommittee hearings with representatives of the Department of Homeland Security. (1) The report language addresses the need to continue the use of Legal Orientation Programs in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, detention centers around the country. Legal Orientation Programs are legal presentations given to persons in immigration detention, prior to a first hearing before an immigration judge by nongovernmental agencies. The presentations facilitate access to justice for detained immigrants in removal proceedings. The program also saves money on immigration detention and makes the Immigration Court more efficient. (2) The report recognizes the success of the Intensive Supervised Appearance Program, ISAP, which prevents families from being detained in jail. The bill includes an additional $5 million for the expansion of this program. (3) The report expresses concern regarding reports that children apprehended by DHS continue to be separated from their parents. The committee's report language encourages ICE to work with reputable nonprofit organizations to consider allowing family units to be placed in the Intensive Supervised Appearance Program. If detention is necessary, the report language encourages ICE to house family members together in nonpenal, home-like environments until the conclusion of their immigration proceedings. (4) The report includes language that expresses concerns regarding recent media reports of health care deficiencies at ICE detention facilities. The committee's report language correctly directs ICE to report on the activities it undertakes to ensure compliance with detention standards. (5) The report highlights concerns with the backlog at the National Records Center. This backlog results in few, if any, of the asylum applicants who requested their files through the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, receiving their files in time to prepare for their appearance in immigration court. The report language directs Citizenship and Immigration Services to develop a plan to ensure that such requests are filled in a timely and expeditious manner. (6) The report expresses concern that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services has not issued regulations on the U-visa for immigrant victims of a crime. This visa was established 6 years ago in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Due to the lack of regulations, few victims have applied because only interim relief exists. The report directs CIS to report on its plan for issuing U-visa regulations. (7) I was pleased that the report recognizes the important efforts of the Directorate of Science and Technology, S&T, to encourage universities to become centers of multi-disciplinary research on homeland security issues. An outstanding example of such a center is the University of Southern California's Center for Risk and Economic Analysis in Los Angeles. Given the high threat of acts of terrorism to large cities like Los Angeles, these centers can help prioritize countermeasures to terrorism, by computing relative risks among potential terrorist events and by identifying where homeland security investments can be most effective. (8) I am also pleased that Customs and Border Protection is directed to report on their plans to address the increased workload at Ontario International Airport and to provide quarterly reports to the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Homeland Security on international flight arrivals at Ontario that take customs longer than the standard 60 minutes to process. (9) The report includes language that expresses concern about reports that unaccompanied alien children are being detained in unacceptable conditions, such as jail-like facilities, and not routinely transferred within the required 3-5 day timeframe from DHS custody to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR. The report directs ICE to immediately contact ORR upon apprehension of children and to ensure ORR gains custody within 72 hours. (10) When the age of an unaccompanied alien child is unknown, the report directs ICE to consider using holistic age-determination methodologies recommended by medical and child welfare experts. These methodologies recommend taking into account the child's physical appearance and psychological maturity, rather than relying exclusively on forensic evidence. (11) The report expresses concern about the dearth of repatriation services for unaccompanied alien children. These children are removed from the United States to face uncertain fates in their homelands. The report urges the Department, in close consultation with the Department of State and ORR, to develop policies and procedures to ensure the safe repatriation of these children to their country of origin including placement with family or a sponsoring agency. (12) I am very grateful that Chairman Rogers once again included language I drafted to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from moving forward with its potentially dangerous plan to privatize key immigration officer positions at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Officers currently filling these positions are responsible for handling classified information used to prevent fraud and exploitation of our immigration laws. I am thankful that this inherently governmental work will continue to remain the responsibility of trained and experienced Federal employees directly accountable to the Department and not to the bottom line of a private company. (13) I am pleased that the report recognizes the important work of Operation Archangel, located in my home city of Los Angeles. Operation Archangel is a national model for protecting critical infrastructure. The Department should continue this important program and replicate it throughout the country. Lastly, I commend Chairman Rogers for withholding funds from DHS until it meets its obligations to this Congress and to the American people. It is a tragedy that the Department of Homeland Security is so dysfunctional that the chairman had to take this step. I congratulate him for standing up for the safety of our Nation and the American people. As he has said on numerous occasions, those who seek to do us harm only have to do their job right occasionally. We have to do our jobs to protect America 100 percent of the time. To date, the Department is far from reaching that 100 percent mark. Mr. Chairman, I support this bill because in spite of its deficiencies, Chairman Rogers has done his best to effectively allocate the limited funds he was given to help ensure our country's safety. Fully addressing critical national security concerns requires resources that the administration simply did not propose and which the Republican majority did not provide in this bill. While this bill is an improvement over the administration's request, it nevertheless is lacking in fully meeting our critical homeland security needs.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican Budget Resolution. Today, this Congress has the opportunity to send a clear message of hope for a better future to American families by investing in critical programs that enhance our children's ability to go to college, protect our public health against diseases and epidemics, and protect our public safety from gang violence and terrorist attacks. Regrettably, the Republican leadership has chosen to squander this opportunity in order to make way for additional tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. The negative impact of this unnecessary and misguided budget is that programs essential to the safety, health and well-being of American families are cut and even eliminated. Please permit me to cite examples that illustrate my point. First, this Republican Budget Resolution sacrifices services vital to women and families by eliminating the funding for the National Resource Center on Workplace Responses. This Center was included in last year's reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It provides critical support to help employees who are victims of domestic violence maintain job security as they empower themselves to end the violence in their lives. It also provides employers with valuable information and expertise needed to make their workplace safe from abusers who often stalk their victims at the workplace. Second, this Budget Resolution eliminates the funding for the National Institutes of Health's crucial National Children's Study. This study is examining the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of our nation's children. When completed, this national study could answer critical questions that will enable us to more effectively protect our children's health and future well-being. By eliminating this important program, the Republican budget once again chooses giving tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals in America at the expense of our children. Third, this budget resolution jeopardizes the future of millions of America's children by recommending the elimination of 42 education programs designed to provide our Nation's disadvantaged and middle- income children with the opportunities for a better and more fulfilling life. Some of the programs the Republican budget proposes to eliminate are the Even Start program, which promotes family literacy in low-income areas; the School Drop-out Prevention Program, which helps at-risk children stay in school; and the Education Technology Block Grant, which integrates technology into the classroom to help students and teachers succeed in today's 21st Century workforce. Once again, in order to pay for the $70 billion tax cut primarily for the wealthy, this Republican budget strips away the safety net needed to protect the future of our children who must be prepared to compete in our ever-growing and highly technical global economy. I urge my colleagues to put the future of our children and our country first and vote against this misguided Republican Budget Resolution.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday was Mother's Day. Across our Nation, America's mothers were honored with cards, gifts, flowers and phone calls. But for any mother, the most precious gift of all is a strong and healthy baby. Today, to help ensure that mothers receive that most precious of gifts, I am introducing the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2006. Newborn screening is a public health intervention that involves a simple blood test used to identify many life-threatening genetic illnesses before any symptoms begin. Approximately 5,000 babies are born each year with detectable and treatable disorders. Forty years ago, these disorders would have gone undetected until symptoms appeared. As a result, these children unnecessarily died or suffered lifelong disabling consequences. Today, these severe disorders, mostly inborn errors of metabolism, can be detected in newborn babies and treated in time to prevent serious complications. But due to the fact that a national newborn screening law does not exist in this country, there is great disparity and variation from State to State in the quality and number of newborn screening tests an infant may receive. Consequently, each year approximately 2,000 infants are permanently disabled or die from otherwise treatable disorders. This bill could prevent these tragedies and save millions of dollars in health care costs to both families and States. The Newborn Screening Act of 2006 seeks to eliminate these unnecessary deaths and severe disabilities by educating parents and health care professionals about the advisability of newborn screening and improves the system for follow-up care for infants detected with an illness through the newborn screening tests. The bill encourages States to uniformly test for all recommended disorders and provides resources for States to expand and improve their newborn screening programs. It also requires the CDC to ensure the quality of laboratories involved in newborn screening and establishes a system for collecting and analyzing data that will help researchers develop better detection, prevention and treatment strategies. Mr. Speaker, somewhere in our country today, there is a mother holding her newborn son or daughter totally unaware that her seemingly healthy baby is being attacked by a genetic disease because her State or birthing facility did not offer the one test that could have provided her with this critical information. If she knew, she could have begun the treatment needed to protect her baby from permanent disability or death. Mr. Speaker, we have the power to help prevent this tragedy. By passing the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2006, we can ensure that parents and health providers are knowledgeable about newborn screening and that babies receive the comprehensive and consistent testing they need. It is a challenge we simply cannot ignore. I urge my colleagues to join me in presenting a Mother's Day gift to the 4 million women who give birth each year by becoming cosponsors of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2006 and helping to pass it into law.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Chairman, while I would have preferred a more proactive and comprehensive plan such as that proposed by the Democratic ``Real Security Agenda'', I rise today in support of H.R. 4954, the Security and Accountability For Every (SAFE) Port Act because it is a step in the right direction. As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, I am well aware of the vulnerabilities of our nation's ports. In fact, the 9/11 Commission report concluded that terrorists have the ``opportunity to do harm as great or greater in maritime and surface transportation'' than the September 11 terrorist attacks. Our nation's seaports handle over 95 percent of our foreign trade, more than $1 trillion annually. The ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach near my district form the largest container port complex in the nation. These ports processed more than 35,000 cargo containers a day in 2005, and accounted for some 40 percent of all container traffic nationwide. Given the volume of our shipping trade, a terrorist attack against the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, or any major commercial seaport for that matter, would freeze commercial shipping business, close all seaports for an indefinite time, and have a devastating impact on our national economy. This is not a wild estimate or an exaggeration for effect. We have only to look at the work stoppage at the LA/Long Beach ports in 2002 that directly impacted businesses across the country and cost the national economy approximately $1 billion a day. When approved, the SAFE Port Act will make progress toward protecting the physical infrastructure of our seaports as well as our national economy which is so clearly dependent on the commercial shipping business. I believe the following three provisions in the bill are particularly important. First, the bill requires the development of plans to address supply chain security and the resumption of trade in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Securing the supply chain against cargo-tampering is critical to decreasing the likelihood that weapons of mass destruction make it aboard ships bound for the United States. Ensuring that our ports can resume trade operations as soon as possible following any terrorist will mitigate the economic cost of any such attack. Second, the bill also mandates that Transportation Worker Identification Cards to be issued to port workers. Standardizing identification cards will better enable us to determine who should have access to sensitive areas at our ports and it will make it more difficult to counterfeit the ID cards. Lastly, the bill more than doubles present funding for the successful port security grant program to $400 million At the current rate of funding, securing the physical infrastructure of our ports would take decades to complete. Despite these and other important provisions, I continue to be disappointed that the rule for this bill did not allow consideration of amendments by my Democratic colleagues that would have further enhanced the protection of our ports and our economy. For example, the Thompson Amendment would have added 1600 new Customs and Border Protection officers at our Nation's ports. Having adequate staff to inspect incoming cargo is a basic first step toward securing incoming cargo. Additionally, the Langevin Amendment would have accelerated the installation of radiation detection monitors at our seaports. This is important because inspection of every incoming cargo container isn't realistic given the volume of trade. We are foolish not to maximize and expedite the full use of technology to scan containers for radiation that may reveal weapons of mass destruction. Lastly, Democrats sought to mandate 100 percent screening overseas, of cargo containers bound for U.S. seaports to protect the homeland from hidden shipments of weapons of mass destruction. Democratic proposals were common sense improvements to the bill and would have better prepared us for the increased security concerns facing our country. The House should not have been denied the opportunity to openly debate these important issues. The additional inspection officers, scanning equipment, and mandated cargo screening that these amendments proposed are not inexpensive plans and would have required significant investments. However, we cannot afford to not make these necessary investments and risk a far greater cost in terms of our economy and loss of American lives. Madam Chairman, port security is national security. This bill is a good step in the right direction toward securing our ports, our economy, and our Nation. However, I hope the conference committee will improve the bill further by addressing the issues of customs inspection officers, radiation detection monitors, and cargo screening that the Democrats proposed.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my colleagues as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I thank Congressman Honda and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for organizing tonight's special order. Our theme for this year's festivities, Dreams and Challenges of Asian Pacific Americans, speaks to the many generations of Asian Pacific Americans who worked hard to overcome economic hardship, racism and other barriers in their pursuit of the American dream. The theme reminds us of the Chinese who endured inhumane conditions to build our western railroads, and the Koreans who did the back- breaking work on the sugar plantations in Hawaii. And it reminds us of the Filipino Americans who fought bravely for our country, and the courageous Japanese Americans who fought for their country despite the shameful treatment toward their families in internment camps during World War II. This year's theme also reminds us that in spite of these hardships, the API community has successfully met the challenges it faced and has enhanced greatly the richness and strength of our American society. The contributions and cultural imprint of the API community is especially impressive in Los Angeles where many of the first Asian American immigrants made their home. I have the pleasure of representing the Los Angeles communities of Little Tokyo and parts of Chinatown, and Filipinotown. As is true for all Angelenos, my life has been enriched by the magnificent culture of Asian Pacific Islanders and their positive impact on our city and on our Nation. Asian Pacific Islanders contribute to our economy in many ways. They are leaders, for example, in our international trade. They are pioneers in our fashion industry. They are nonprofit community leaders, restaurateurs and small business owners. They are patriots who continue to defend our Nation and our American way of life through the distinguished service in our Armed Forces. The API community also enhances our lives throughout the year with its many cultural celebrations. In my own district of downtown Los Angeles, I look forward to riding in the annual Nisei parade in Little Tokyo and the Chinese New Years parade in Chinatown. Mr. Speaker, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a wonderful opportunity for our country to honor our country's API community and its many worthy contributions. And it is a wonderful time to explore their rich and diverse culture, customs and history. I thank my API constituents who continue to enrich my life, the life of Angelenos, and our Nation. I am proud to join my congressional colleagues in paying tribute to the API community as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Therefore, I want to highlight the crisis of underage drinking in this country. Every month 11 million youth between the ages of 12 and 20 drink alcohol. Each day over 5,000 kids under the age of 16 take their first drink. Research has shown that these kids are significantly more likely than those who do not drink to become alcoholics, use marijuana, and try cocaine. Alcohol is also known to impact adolescent brain development and increase risk-taking behavior that results in at least nine teenage deaths a day. To address this crisis, I sponsored the STOP Act, which makes permanent the national antiunderage drinking media campaign, which is directed at those who have the greatest influence over children: their parents. The bill provides grants to combat underage drinking in our communities and establishes a report card to track States' efforts. I encourage my colleagues to help stop underage drinking by sponsoring the STOP Act and passing it into law.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I wish to honor the 30 years of service that Ed Perez, Esq. has given to the City of Los Angeles. Although his retirement from the City Attorney's Office on February 17th marks the end of his City employment, it does not end a notable career in the practice of law. Indeed, his contributions to the City's telecommunications policies have been so great that several members of the City Council hope he will return as an advisor. As the City continues to negotiate franchise agreements and shape important telecommunication policies that impact the everyday lives of all Angelinos, we understand the value and depth of expertise that a faithful employee brings to the table at this critical time. Mr. Perez began his initial employment with the Office of the City Attorney in the Criminal Division and switched to the Civil Division 3 years later. In that position he provided legal advice regarding public utilities such as telecommunications and energy, and transactional matters for the City's Information Technology Agency. Mr. Perez was the City's legal advisor for cable television franchising and regulation from 1981-2003, beginning with the initial wiring of the city in 1981 and culminating in the citywide franchising agreements in 1987. During this period, Mr. Perez had the distinguished honor of presenting an oral argument before the United States Supreme Court in 1986, in the Preferred Communications v. City of Los Angeles, 476 U.S. 488. For this, we offer our sincere appreciation to Ed Perez for both his commitment to and invaluable understanding of these issues on behalf of the citizens of Los Angeles. When Mr. Perez transferred to the Department of Water and Power in June 2003, he continued to be one of the principal attorneys monitoring complex utility regulations for the City. He looks forward to more time with his wife Patricia, and their children, Christine and David, upon his retirement. I wish him all the best as he plans for an active retirement and sincerely thank him for his noteworthy accomplishments on behalf of the citizens of Los Angeles.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act. While this bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act is by no means perfect, the bill represents an expanded opportunity and a chance to succeed for the hundreds of thousands of minority students who dream of obtaining a college degree. That is why I plan to vote for the bill today. College degrees open many doors to the future. Students that obtain bachelor degrees have on average higher earning potentials, more competitive jobs, and higher standards of living. But many minority students are unable to obtain a college degree because they lack the necessary resources to do so, and as a result the doors to opportunity often remain closed. Data from 2000 shows that only 13 percent of Hispanics and 15 percent of Blacks in California earned a bachelor's degree, compared to 31 percent for Caucasians. Despite its flaws, H.R. 609 contains key provisions that will help Hispanics and other minorities succeed academically from the day they enter Kindergarten to the day they receive their college diploma and beyond. The bill supports minorities in elementary and secondary education by recruiting minorities to the teaching profession and focusing on the needs of Limited English Proficient students. In addition, the bill creates new ``Centers for Excellence'' programs that will prepare teachers, including minority teachers, to become ``Highly Qualified'' in K-12 classrooms. Beyond high school, the bill reauthorizes the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) that assists low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers to obtain a high school diploma or certificate, and it reauthorizes the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) that provides tutoring and counseling to migrant students in their first year of college. The bill also supports Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) by establishing a new HSI grant for graduate degrees and by eliminating the two-year wait between grant applications. In closing let me highlight some of my concerns, which I hope will be addressed as the bill moves through the process to passage. In particular, I am concerned that the bill does not invest in critical student aid programs on a high enough level. The most telling example is that of Pell Grants, which help many disadvantaged children to go to college. This bill would set maximum Pell Grants at the abysmally low amount of $6,000. I was especially disappointed that Democrats were not allowed to offer an amendment to authorize higher funding levels for Pell Grants and other student aid and support programs. Nevertheless, this bill does provide a much needed single definition of higher education and reauthorizes successful programs such as GEAR UP, TRIO, grants for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, and the Perkins Loan. These efforts to strengthen existing programs and provide benefits for Hispanic and other minority students who dream of a college education led me to vote for H.R. 609 today.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to House Resolution 653, the Budget Reconciliation Spending Cuts Act. There are many reasons to vote against the bill today, including the massive cuts to critical programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and child support enforcement. But the unconscionable cuts to student aid are reason enough to vote against this bill. Education has always been--and continues to be--the great equalizer in this country. Student loans in particular have helped to level the playing field for thousands of worthy students who cannot afford the high cost of a college education. For that reason, it is shocking and disappointing that over 30 percent of the cuts in this bill are to student aid programs that help our kids afford a college education. To pass this bill, and cut funding for essential education programs, is to forsake our commitment to our children's future and to the future of our country. Skyrocketing student loan interest rates and fees, including a new 1 percent ``insurance fee'' on college loans will make it even harder for many parents to send their children to college and on the road to a better and more prosperous life. Mr. Speaker, the passage of this bill will shatter the dreams of thousands of students whose only hope for a college education is through the support of federal financial aid. And it will weaken our country's future, because we will be denied the talents and contributions of these students, whose skills we need to compete in our highly skilled global economy. If we are to remain the greatest and most powerful nation in the world, we must educate and develop the talents of all our children. Adding to the tragic consequences of this bill is that the cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, child support enforcement, and student aid do nothing to reduce the shocking 3.4 trillion dollars deficit. The President's cuts to these critical programs are simply for the purpose of giving more tax cuts to the wealthiest 1 percent of our country. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 653 is an ill-conceived and misguided bill that endangers the future of our children and the future of our country. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, every year in the United States, thousands of babies are born with serious, preventable birth defects of the brain and spine. Spina bifida, the most common neural tube defect, is the leading cause of childhood paralysis. Anencephaly, a neural tube defect of the brain, is always fatal. To bring attention to this preventable tragedy, we highlighted National Folic Acid Awareness Week as part of January's National Birth Defects Prevention Month. Since we were not in session at the time, I will take this opportunity to focus on the public health significance of folic acid and the important role it plays in the prevention of these devastating neural tube birth defects. The value of folic acid became clear in 1991 when absolute scientific evidence showed that a daily supplement of synthetic folic acid could prevent spina bifida and anencephaly in most pregnancies. In 1992, the finding led the United States Public Health Service to recommend that women, beginning at puberty and continuing through their childbearing years, take a daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid. It was in response to the Public Health Service recommendation that I authored the Folic Acid Promotion and Birth Defects Prevention Act. This act authorized the CDC to develop programs to educate health professionals and the public about the importance of folic acid consumption. I am very pleased that this bill became law as part of the Children's Health Act of 2000. The Food and Drug Administration also responded to the need to increase consumption in the general population by requiring the addition of folic acid to enriched grain products like bread and cereal. It is important to note, however, that new evidence has found that the current fortification level of grains is not adequate for full protection against birth defects. Nevertheless, over the past 10 years, our efforts have succeeded in increasing the consumption of folic acid. This has resulted in a considerable decline in the rate of spina bifida and anencephaly. The fact remains, however, that last year approximately 3,000 babies in the United States were born with preventable neural tube defects. Recent studies show that despite our efforts, only 40 percent of women ages 18 to 45 take a daily vitamin with the recommended level of folic acid. And Latino women, who have almost double the likelihood of delivering a baby with a neural tube defect, have the lowest reported folic acid consumption of any racial or ethnic group. Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt we have considerable work ahead of us in order to adequately protect our newborn babies from preventable neural tube birth defects. It is therefore our duty and our obligation to, first, increase our efforts to inform all women of childbearing age of the essential role folic acid plays in protecting their babies from spina bifida and anencephaly; second, to increase the required concentration of folic acid in enriched grain products as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the March of Dimes. And, finally, it is our duty and our obligation to encourage manufacturers to fortify cornmeal products with amounts of folic acid that meet the FDA requirements. This recommendation is especially critical to our Latino communities, which consume large amounts of the unfortified corn flour sold in the United States. Mr. Speaker, we have the knowledge and the ability to prevent the majority of neural tube defects in this country. It will be a tragedy if we choose to ignore this compelling public health challenge. I urge my colleagues to work with me in the 109th Congress to support policies that enrich our foods with sufficient folic acid and to strengthen CDC's national folic acid education campaign. By working together, we can and will save thousands of babies and families from the suffering and the pain of neural tube defects.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, as part of the Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act. In particular, I thank the conferees for including my provision to establish a national resource center to help employers address the negative consequences of domestic and sexual violence in the workplace. Since the Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994, law enforcement has enhanced its response to crimes involving violence against women, Federal prosecutors have increased actions against perpetrators of domestic violence, and many critical services and programs have been created to assist victims of such violence. Yet, despite the protections of VAWA, every year thousands of women are forced to stay in abusive relationships because they lose their jobs and therefore are unable to provide for themselves and their children. To protect them from this negative economic impact the national resource center will provide employers with the information and expertise they need to keep their employees while helping them address the violence in their lives. This will also benefit employers who, according to the Bureau of National Affairs news service, lose $3 to $5 billion annually in lost time and productivity. I am very pleased that starting in 2007 the center is authorized to receive $1 million annually for 5 years. Mr. Speaker, once again I thank my colleagues for working with me to include the creation of a national resource center in the reauthorization of VAWA. The center will be a critical step in protecting the economic security of victims of domestic violence and empowering them to end their cycle of violence. I look forward to working with my colleagues to further ensure the financial independence of domestic violence victims by passing my bill, H.R. 3185, the Security and Financial Empowerment, SAFE, Act.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, due to the death of a family member, I was not present for rollcalls 665 through 671 on Sunday, December 18 and Monday, December 19. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcalls 666, 669, 670 and ``yea'' on rollcalls 665, 667, 668, and 671.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. I too am committed to protecting our borders and strengthening our immigration policies. However, this bill does neither. Instead of offering necessary comprehensive immigration reform, this bill simply continues the same failed policies of the past. Over the last decade, from Fiscal Year 1993 to Fiscal Year 2004, the number of Border Patrol officers tripled from 3,965 to 10,835 agents, and spending on border enforcement quintupled from $740 million to $3.8 billion per year. In that same time frame, the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. doubled from 4.5 million to 9.3 million. Clearly our current policies have failed to stop the flow of illegal immigration. Yet this bill simply offers more of the same failed remedies to our immigration problems. Furthermore, this bill contains several unacceptable provisions. Please allow me to outline a few of the most egregious of these. First, by expanding mandatory detention, this bill would allow women and children seeking asylum to be held in jails or prison-like detention centers while their immigration proceedings are pending even though they are no threat to our national security. Imprisoning these asylum seekers who often times are trying to escape brutalities back home violates the integrity of what our nation stands for and undermines our history of due process of law. Second, this bill unfairly denies admission to immigrants who legally come to the U.S. from countries that do not accept the re-entry of their citizens. This means that, even though our State Department has approved their visas, legal immigrants and refugees from communist countries such as Vietnam, China and Somalia would be refused entry into the U.S. and forced to return to the oppressive regimes they are trying to escape. Third, this bill takes valuable time and resources away from urgent police responsibilities, such as dealing with murder, rape, and gang activity by empowering state and local police to enforce immigration laws which is currently the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. Fourth, this bill would classify as aggravated felons children who through no fault of their own are brought here illegally by their parents. While I support cracking down on criminal aliens, I cannot support the criminalization of innocent children and thus deny them the opportunity to advance their lives in the future. Fifth, this bill can weaken our fight against terrorism by permitting Homeland Security Grant Funds to be diverted from critical personnel such as our first responders. The State Homeland Security Grant Program has already been cut in half from $1.1 billion to $550 million. Our state and local governments cannot afford further shrinking of these critical funds if they are to protect us in the event of another terrorist attack. Finally, this bill would expand the controversial process of removing individuals from our country without a fair hearing. This flawed procedure, known as expedited removal, has already resulted in the wrongful deportation of refugees who faced torture and death when they were returned to their native countries. Rather than fix this unjust procedure and protect these vulnerable individuals, this provision further denies them due process of law. Our great nation serves as a model for democracy, fairness, and the rule of law. Unfortunately, this bill takes us away from these ideals upon which our nation was founded. I urge my colleagues to join me in defeating this dangerous bill.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I regrettably rise in opposition to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Conference Report, because it grossly under funds the essential programs in education, health and human services that help improve the quality of life of the American people. Chairman Regula has done his best to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our society with the very limited resources he was given. Ironically, these inadequate resources are a direct result of his own Republican leadership putting tax cuts for the wealthiest in our country before the needs of working and middle-class Americans. This is the second time that the Labor-HHS Conference Report is before this House. Three weeks ago, Republicans and Democrats defeated the original conference report in a rare show of bipartisanship. Members on both sides of the aisle voted against the injustices of this bill, and refused to allow this 109th Congress to be defined by a Labor-HHS-Education bill that turned its back on the American people. This revised Conference Report continues the policy of shortchanging the needs and priorities of the majority of Americans. There are, however, two incremental improvements in this revised Conference Report. The report restores $37 million to rural health outreach grants and rural health research, bringing them back to last year's funding levels. It also adds $53 million to bring four of the Health Professions Training Programs back to FY 2005 levels. Nevertheless, these modest changes will have little impact on rectifying the enormous gaps created by the funding cuts in this bill. It is simply another version of misguided priorities and unacceptable choices. If we pass this conference report, the Departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) will all receive less funding next year than they did in FY 2005. For example, the Department of Labor will receive $430 million less than in FY 2005, resulting in the elimination of skills training for 100,000 personnel in growth industries, and the abolishment of job search assistance for 1.9 million unemployed workers. These are two critical programs that benefit the 7.6 million Americans who remain out of work. The Department of Education will receive $59 million less than it did in 2005, and contrary to the administration's professed commitment to leave no child behind, this second conference report will reduce the ``Even Start'' program for low-literate and low-income families by 56 percent, freeze the English Language Training program, and fund IDEA with the smallest increase in over a decade. In addition, at a time when 45 million Americans are without health insurance, the Department of Health and Human Services will receive $1.1 billion less than the FY 2005 appropriation. The result is that this revised conference report will further erode the health care safety net by terminating the Healthy Communities Access Program, cutting $24 million out of the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, and eliminating the Health Care Planning Access Grants that help states expand health coverage to the uninsured. The revised Labor-HHS-Education Conference Report does not even come close to meeting the health and social welfare needs of our families, the educational requirements of our children, and the responsibilities we have to our most vulnerable citizens. Mr. Speaker, this country was built on a promise of hope and equal opportunity for all of its people. If the majority continues to ignore these values that have set our country apart and contributed to its greatness, we will lose our moral high ground and jeopardize our place as the most powerful country in the world. Our children will then be forced to live with the consequences of an undereducated workforce, a weak economy, and a society where good health and social justice are only afforded to the most privileged. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this still ill conceived, unacceptable and unnecessarily under funded conference report.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4297, the Tax Reconciliation bill. Cutting taxes for the super rich, and ignoring the needs of the poor and middle class, as this bill does, is a dangerous deviation from fiscal and moral responsibility. As with every American, I too would like to see my taxes cut. Therefore my opposition to this bill does not stem from a deep-seated hostility toward the concept of tax cuts. Rather, my opposition is a plain and simple recognition that these proposed tax cuts are the wrong kind of cuts at precisely the wrong time. Why are they wrong kind of tax cuts? Because they primarily benefit the super rich with little tax relief to middle class and poor Americans who need tax relief the most. Why do they come at the wrong time? Because today our Federal Government is unable to meet the most essential needs of the majority of Americans. For example, 45 million Americans are without health insurance, too many American families cannot afford to send their children to college, and our American communities continue to be vulnerable to terrorist attacks here at home due to the under-funding of many essential homeland security programs. Instead of investing in American families, this bill condones massive cuts to essential health, education, and programs designed to help women and children. And instead of fully funding programs such as those designed to support our emergency first responders in the case of a terrorist attack, we are using that money to pay for tax cuts for the super rich. Add to this reality a costly war in Iraq, unprecedented spending for hurricane relief in the Gulf, and the escalating budget deficit, and it is very clear that now is the wrong time for these kinds of cut taxes. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have a fair and responsible solution. It is fair because, instead of cutting taxes for the super rich, our substitute bill is designed to put hardworking middle-class Americans first in line for tax relief. For example, our substitute bill protects the majority of American families who will negatively be affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax. It is responsible because it avoids further reckless spending by eliminating the extension of capital gains and dividend tax cuts that will add to the enormous deficit that will have to be paid by future generations. As a grandmother myself, I believe it is morally reprehensible to leave my grandchildren to bear the burden of debt-relief because we spent our money on more tax cuts for the wealthy today. To set the right course for future generations, we must make it our priority to improve the quality of life for all Americans; not just the lives of the privileged few. This tax-cut bill before us is needless, reckless spending and should be rejected. Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. Rangel

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 3010. The fiscal year 2006 Labor-HHS- Education Appropriations report before the House today shortchanges America's children, its families, its workers and its most vulnerable citizens. The Labor-HHS-Education bill embodies our priorities and values as Americans. In it, Congress provides the yearly resources needed to keep our families healthy, our children educated, our workers employed, and our most vulnerable citizens a productive part of our society. This bill is arguably one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress addresses each year. Chairman Regula understands this responsibility. He understands that this is ``the people's bill'', and he has worked hard to distribute the limited resources he was given in a fair and conscientious way. So my ``no'' vote today should in no way be seen as a lack of respect or appreciation for the efforts of Ralph Regula, the chairman of the Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee. Chairman Regula and the staff of the subcommittee have worked within this tight budget allocation to address the needs and priorities of our states and communities as best they could under the circumstances. For example, the conference report includes increases in two critical areas to help infants and their families. The first is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's folic acid national education program. This program has been instrumental in the prevention of birth defects by encouraging women of child-bearing age to take the recommended amount of folic acid daily, thereby decreasing the rate of neural tube defects. The second increase is for the Health Resources and Services Administration's newborn screening program for early identification of infants affected by certain genetic, metabolic, hormonal and or functional conditions for which there are effective treatment or intervention. In addition, for the first time, this bill also includes programmatic funding for the national media campaign to fight underage drinking, which is being conducted by the Ad Council. I thank the committee for helping our country make progress in these critical public health areas. The presence of these and a small number of other positive programmatic funding levels, however, is simply not enough to warrant approving this conference report. Mr. Speaker, the constraints placed on this bill by the budget priorities and decisions of the Republican leadership are not worthy of this House and the values of the American people. I voted against the House bill when it came to the floor in June precisely because it fell so short of meeting the needs of America's children, families and the most vulnerable among us. I had hoped that the bill would be improved in the conference. It is unfortunate, however, that in this conference agreement, the way they chose to improve overall programmatic funding from the original House Bill levels was to take resources away from other priorities and community needs. This report and its funding decisions do not stand in isolation. They reflect the misguided priorities of a Republican leadership that has continually put the interests of the wealthy and the privileged before the needs and priorities of working and middle-class Americans. This Labor-HHS-Education conference report is a direct result of an economic agenda of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and it weakens America's future by under-funding key education, health and human services programs. If approved, this bill will impose cuts to essential programs important to Americans in at least three major areas. First, this conference agreement significantly shortchanges our nation's workers. The bill cuts labor programs $430 million below the FY 2005 levels. Training and employment services for the 7.4 million Americans who are unemployed are funded well below the FY05 levels. This includes a $31 million cut to Adult Training Grants, a $36 million cut to Youth Training Grants; and a $141 million cut to Unemployment Insurance Offices. The U.S. Employment Service Office, which matches job seekers with job openings, is slashed by 10.5 percent, and the report freezes funding for dislocated and older workers. In addition, the bill slices International Labor Affairs, the program that helps eradicate abusive child labor practices and protect worker rights. by 21 percent. Secondly, this report is simply a reaffirmation of the Administration's hollow commitment to education, slashing the No Child Left Behind funds by $784 million below the FY 2005 level. It cuts the Education Technology Block Grant program that provides access to technology in schools by a shocking 45 percent from last year's level. It reduces the Even Start program supporting services for low literate and low-income families by 56 percent. And as a final point, it shortchanges our children with disabilities by funding IDEA at $4 billion below the Republican promise to put special education on a fast track to full funding. Finally, the report is particularly devastating to the health of Americans. Some of its most significant cuts are directed towards the critical programs that provide a health care safety net for the uninsured. The conference agreement provides $34 million less than the House passed bill and $89 million less than the Senate bill for grants to Health Centers for services to the uninsured. The Maternal and Child Health Block Grant is cut by 3 percent, reducing its true per capita purchasing power by almost 20 percent below the FY 2002 level. The conference agreement terminates the Healthy Communities Access Program that makes grants to local hospitals, health centers and providers so that they can provide better integrated systems of care for the underinsured and uninsured. Lastly, as if cutting services wasn't enough, the conference agreement virtually decimates the Title VII Health Professions Training programs, cutting overall funding from $300 million in FY 2005 to $94 million in FY 2006. Mr. Speaker, these drastic reductions to critical programs are not necessary. Ranking Member David Obey has consistently laid out a common-sense approach to this problem. By simply reducing the tax break for those with incomes greater than $1 million, we could add funding for No Child Left Behind programs, maintain college affordability by increasing the money for Pell grants, shore up our health safety net programs, and rebuild our public health system to respond to pandemics and possible terrorist attacks. But these fiscally responsible efforts by Mr. Obey and the Democrats have been defeated by the Republican majority at every turn. The result is this grossly underfunded bill which we are considering today. In the end, this Congress will be judged by how well we have served the needs of all our citizens and communities. As a result, this Labor- HHS-Education Bill will not reflect kindly on us. We can and must do better for the future of our families, our children, our workers and our most vulnerable citizens.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a friend and trusted adviser, Donald McCamie DeArmon, on the occasion of his retirement from a distinguished career of 28 years of public service in the United States House of Representatives. Don began his service on Capitol Hill following his graduation from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977. During those 28 years, he worked for the Office of House Information Systems and six Members of Congress. Congressmembers Bill Ketchum, Barbara Mikulski, Les AuCoin, David Price, Vic Fazio, and I all had the good fortune to know and work with him. It was in 1999 that Don brought his wealth of experience and knowledge to my office, serving first as associate staff for appropriations and then as legislative director and currently as acting chief of staff. Don is a team player who has mentored many junior coworkers. His political sense and institutional knowledge of the House and his familiarity with the legislative process have provided my office with wise counsel. His many bipartisan and bicameral friendships built over years in the House have been invaluable to my work on the Committee on Appropriations. His knowledge of the numerous funding accounts has been key to my ability to serve my constituents better. In addition to his work on the Committee on Appropriations, Don has also been the lead staff person for my legislative health agenda. Through his stewardship, we have made progress in addressing the health crisis of underaged drinking and in reducing preventable birth defects through enhanced education of women on the importance of folic acid. Don's commitment to public service and his love of politics reached its natural conclusion when he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. There is no doubt that during his campaigns Maryland voters were enriched by Don's discussions of the critical issues facing our Nation. Although his neighbors in Maryland were denied his direct representation, I can attest to the fact that his public service during the past 28 years has enriched their lives and the lives of many in our Nation. Don is a man who has admirably met the difficult challenge of balancing the demanding world of public service with being an involved, loving father and husband. He and his wife, Ann, a teacher, have raised four successful and politically active children. Belle, 23, is an English major at the University of Maryland, College Park. McCamie, 21, will be graduating in December from the University of Pittsburgh. Alexandra, 17, is a freshman at Wagner College; and John, 13, is an 8th grader at West Frederick Middle School. To Don and his family, I extend my deep appreciation and heartfelt congratulations on the momentous occasion of his retirement. We will miss him, his hard work, his wealth of knowledge of political history, and his wonderful anecdotes about his childhood in North Carolina, experiences on the Hill and life in Frederick, Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I join the many friends and colleagues who have had the privilege of working with Don in wishing him happiness and success as he embarks on his new career in the private sector. Don's new work, advocating on behalf of institutions of health, clearly demonstrates his commitment to the true public servant's belief that the people's work is never done. Godspeed, Don DeArmon.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my Special Order at this time.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family I sincerely thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), and my colleagues for tonight's special order and for their kind words about my father, former Congressman Edward R. Roybal. I thank the President and Mrs. Bush for their considerate letter of condolence, the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert) for his graciousness in presenting my mother the flag flown over our Nation's Capitol in my father's honor, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for sharing his special memories of my father on the Senate floor. For their kind and eloquent words during the memorial services in Los Angeles, I thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Minority Leader, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), my father's good friend and colleague, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra). The Roybal family is also extremely grateful to my father's former chiefs of staff and Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles, and his staff for providing so much help and support during this difficult time. My family also send a heartfelt thank you to my many colleagues, constituents, and friends who gave their condolences, attended the services and/or sent flowers. Mr. Speaker, my father Edward R. Roybal loved our country and this House of Representatives where he served proudly for 30 years. During the past weeks we have heard stories of my father's many legislative accomplishments and oftentimes lonely battles on behalf of the sick, the elderly and the disadvantaged. As one of the 13 cardinals of the House Committee on Appropriations, colleagues from both sides of the aisle have related to me stories of his fairness and ability to work in a bipartisan way on behalf of his constituents and our Nation. We have also heard about his many tributes, including the naming of the Atlanta campus of the Centers for Disease Control in his honor, and the recognition received for his lifelong leadership when he was awarded our Nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Citizens Medal. I would like to end this special order, Mr. Speaker, by talking about Edward Roybal, the father, from the personal experiences of his three children. As many families do in such times of sadness, my brother, sister and I sat and talked about our memories of Dad or ``Pop'' as we lovingly called him. We recalled how deeply he loved our mother and his wife of 65 years, Lucille Beserra Roybal. Always by his side, her hard work and devotion was the glue that held our family together and provided the strength and support that helped to make possible our father's many accomplishments, which started when he was only a teenager, successfully leading the fight against discrimination at a local swimming pool and continued when he was a public health educator in the State of California. We remembered his strong belief in the value and strength of family and how he, with my mother, shaped our values and modeled for us deep personal integrity. He taught us faith in God, the value of family and friends and the importance of giving back to one's community. And, without a doubt, he taught us the importance of participating in the political process. My sister Lillian, my brother Ed and I remembered how we never sat down to dinner at a normal hour with just the immediate family but always surrounded by our political family and friends. We remembered how at any time our house could fill with people and another emergency meeting would be convened, for our house was always the gathering place. We remembered triumphant elections, painful defeats, high expectations, and fearful realities. The fearful realities were particularly vivid during the forties and fifties when we were young children growing up in the Boyle Heights community of Los Angeles. During that time in our city's history, Mexican Americans and other minorities were not welcomed in many parts of our city. Therefore, one can well imagine the reception my father received in 1949 when he was the first Latino to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council in the 20th century. The racial slurs and not-so- quiet whispers directed at him and our family when we attended events and dinners remain vivid in our minds today. But equally as vivid is the strength and the courage he demonstrated as many in our society tried to humiliate and intimidate him to give up his cause. Giving up was something he would never consider, because he clearly understood and reminded us often that the struggles and the victories were not about him and our family but about creating a foundation of opportunity for future generations of Latinos and other disenfranchised Americans and community. In the midst of all of the political turmoil, we also remembered that there was laughter and fun, and we always knew we were loved. We remembered family gatherings when Dad played his guitar and sang with our mother. We remembered his love for his sons-in-law, Michael Rose and Edward Allard, and the deep love and pride he had for his grandchildren, Lisa Elliott, Ricardo Olivarez, Michael Rose, Loushana R. Rose and his great grandchildren Emily Rose, Diego, Santiago, and Lourdes Olivarez and Mason Elliott. The void my father leaves behind will always be filled with these and many more fond memories and values he left with us as part of his legacy. We miss him, and he will always be in our hearts with great love and pride. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family, I again thank my colleagues for tonight's special order and for sharing their thoughts and special memories of my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family I sincerely thank my colleagues for tonight's Special Order and for their kind words about my father former Congressman Edward R. Roybal. I thank the President and Mrs. Bush for their considerate letter of condolence, Speaker Dennis Hastert for his graciousness in presenting my mother the flag flown over our Nation's capitol in my father's honor, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for sharing his special memories about my father on the Senate floor. For their kind and eloquent words during the memorial services in Los Angeles, I thank Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the Minority Leader, Congressman David Dreier, Chairman of the Rules Committee, Congressman Solomon Ortiz, my father's good friend and colleague from Texas, Congressman Xavier Becerra, from California Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Supervisor Gloria Molina of Los Angeles, Judge Harry Pregerson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Sheriff Lee Baca of Los Angeles County, Councilman Alex Padilla, President of the Los Angeles City Council, Antonia Hernandez, Dan Maldonado, Evelyn Verdugo-Tabarez, Brenda Sutton-Wills, Ricardo Olivarez, Eloise Sotello, Linda Newton, and Manuel Gonez. The Roybal family is also extremely grateful to my father's former Chiefs of Staff, Ed Avila, Henry Lozano, Dan Maldonado, Jorge Lambrinos, Harry Pachon and the Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa and his staff, for providing so much help and support during this difficult time. My family also sends a heartfelt thank you to my many colleagues, constituents and friends who gave their condolences, attended the services, and/or sent flowers. Mr. Speaker, my father Edward R. Roybal loved our country and this House of Representatives, where he served proudly for 30 years. During the past weeks, we have heard stories of my father's many legislative accomplishments and often time's lonely battles on behalf of the sick, the elderly, and the disadvantaged. As one of the 13 cardinals of the House Appropriations Committee, colleagues from both sides of the aisle have related to me stories of his fairness and ability to work in a bi-partisan way on behalf of his constituents and our Nation. We have also heard about his many tributes, including the naming of the Atlanta campus of the Centers for Disease Control in his honor. And, the recognition received for his life-long leadership when he was awarded our Nation's highest civilian honor: The Presidential Citizens Medal. I would like to end this Special Order Mr. Speaker, by talking about Edward Roybal, the father, from the personal experiences of his three children. As many families do in such times of sadness, my brother, sister and I sat and talked about our memories of Dad or Pop as we lovingly called him. We recalled how deeply he loved our mother and his wife of 65 years, Lucille Beserra Roybal. Always by his side, her hard work and devotion was the glue that held our family together and provided the strength and support that helped to make possible our father's many accomplishments, which started when he was only a teenager, successfully leading a fight against discrimination at a local swimming pool and continued when he was a public health educator in the state of California. We remembered his strong belief in the value and strength of family. And how he, with my mother, shaped our values and modeled for us deep personal integrity. He taught us faith in God, the value of family and friends, and the importance of giving back to one's community. And without a doubt, he taught us the importance of participating in the political process. My sister Lillian, my brother Ed and I, remembered how we never sat down to dinner at a normal hour with just the immediate family, but always surrounded by our political family and friends. We remembered how at any time our house could fill with people and another emergency meeting would be convened. . . . for our house was always the gathering place. We remembered triumphant elections, painful defeats, high expectations, and fearful realities. The fearful realities were particularly vivid during the forties and fifties when we were young children growing up in the Boyle Heights community of Los Angeles. During that time in our city's history, Mexican Americans and other minorities were not welcomed in many parts of our city. Therefore, one can well imagine the reception my father received in 1949, when he was the first Latino to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council in the twentieth century. The racial slurs and not so quiet whispers directed at him and our family when we attended events and dinners remain vivid in our minds even today. But equally as vivid is the strength and the courage he demonstrated as many in our society tried to humiliate and intimidate him to give up his cause. Giving up was something he would never consider because he clearly understood, and reminded us often, that the struggles, and even the victories, were not about him and our family, but about creating a foundation of opportunity for future generations of Latinos and other disenfranchised Americans and Communities. In the midst of all the political turmoil, we also remembered that there was laughter and fun; and we always knew we were loved. We remembered family gatherings when Dad played his guitar and sang with our mother. We remembered his love for his son-in-laws Michael Rose and Edward Allard. And the deep love and pride he had for his grandchildren Lisa Elliott, Ricardo Olivarez, Michael R. Rose, Loushana R. Rose and his great grandchildren Emily Rose, Diego, Santiago, and Lourdes Olivarez and Mason Elliott. The void my father leaves behind will always be filled with these and many more fond memories and values he left with us as part of his legacy. We miss him and he will always be in our hearts with great love and pride. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family, I again thank my colleagues for tonight's Special Order and for sharing their thoughts and special memories of my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, due to the illness and passing of my father and his subsequent funeral, I was not present for rollcall votes 521 to 569 from October 17 to November 4, 2005. Had I been present and voting I would have voted in the following manner: Yea on rollcall 521, yea on rollcall 522, yea on rollcall 523, no on rollcall 524, yea on rollcall 525, yea on rollcall 526, yea on rollcall 527, yea on rollcall 528, no on rollcall 529, yea on rollcall 530, yea on rollcall 531, yea on rollcall 532, no on rollcall 533, no on rollcall 534, yea on rollcall 535, yea on rollcall 536, yea on rollcall 537, yea on rollcall 538, no on rollcall 539, yea on rollcall 540, no on rollcall 541, no on rollcall 542, no on rollcall 543, no on rollcall 544, no on rollcall 545, yea on rollcall 546, no on rollcall 547, no on rollcall 548, yea on rollcall 549, yea on rollcall 550, yea on rollcall 551, yea on rollcall 552, no on rollcall 553, and yea on rollcall 554, yea on rollcall 555, yea on rollcall 556, yea on rollcall 557, yea on rollcall 558, no on rollcall 559, yea on rollcall 560, yea on rollcall 561, no on rollcall 562, yea on rollcall 563, no on rollcall 564, no on rollcall 565, no on rollcall 566, no on rollcall 567, yea on rollcall 568, yea on rollcall 569.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take a few moments to honor my cousin, Carmen N. Ciqueiros Tafoya Perkins Mullaly, from Long Beach, California, whose life was cut short on September 11, 2005. Carmen was born in Los Angeles, California on September 17, 1926 and was always a proud Angeleno. She attended Hammel Elementary School and Belvedere Junior High, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles. Early on in life, Carmen developed a belief in the principles of the Democratic Party. An active member of the League of Women Voters, Carmen never missed voting in a single election. My cousin's enthusiasm for Election Day was an inspiration to all those around her, as she often opened her own home to serve as a polling precinct for primary and general elections. In addition to her allegiance to the Democratic Party, Carmen loved being an Anaheim Angels fan. Carmen enjoyed cheering her favorite team on to victory over the years at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Carmen was beloved by our large family, and we all miss her since her passing. I know that my father, former Congressman Edward R. Roybal, will especially miss his cousin. Carmen is survived by her children: Virgilia Goodwin of Aurora, Colorado; Jack Perkins of Huntington Beach, California; Dwight Perkins of Woodburn, Oregon; Gayle Rex of Walla Walla, Washington; and Patrick Mullaly of Kennewick, Washington. She is also survived by her sister, Geraldine Overton of Lakewood, California, and by her stepchildren, Tom Mullaly of Irvine, California; Cindy Mullaly of Chicago, Illinois; and Scott Mullaly of San Diego, California. Carmen is also survived by a niece, Geraldine O. Wiese of Cornwall, England. Carmen was preceded in death by her stepson, Mark Mullaly, and her husband Thomas J. Mullaly. Although my family and I mourn Carmen today, we are also grateful for the many happy moments she brought into the lives of those around her. Today we mourn her death and celebrate her abundant life.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to join the many Armenian Americans whom I represent in welcoming His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, to California's 34th Congressional District on October 14, 2005. The pontiff is visiting California at the invitation of His Eminence, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America. His Holiness is one of the most prominent Christian leaders in the Middle East and a spiritual leader for hundreds of thousands of Armenians around the world. The pontiff presently serves as the moderator for the World Council of Churches. The World Council of Churches represents over 400 million Christians throughout the globe, and is comprised of more than 340 churches from different cultures and countries. Currently serving his second term, His Holiness is the first Orthodox and the youngest person to be elevated to moderator. As the moderator of the World Council of Churches, the pontiff has led the way to build bridges between people of faith. On this special day, His Holiness will meet at Los Angeles City Hall with a number of local, State and Federal public officials who represent the nearly 400,000 Armenian Americans who live in and around southern California. His Holiness will also present the main address at a symposium to be held at the University of Southern California that will focus on how Christians respond to violence. I am confident that when he delivers his address on October 14 entitled, ``Christianity in the Middle East--Challenges Facing Inter- religious Dialogue'' at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Armenian Americans and Los Angeles residents will hear a valuable message. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that His Holiness has included a visit to California's 34th Congressional District during his upcoming visit to California, The main theme of his pontifical visit, ``Towards the Light of Knowledge'' is a welcome reminder of the powerful role a good education can have in promoting a better and more peaceful world. I know that my colleagues join me in recognizing His Holiness Aram I, a man who has been a strong voice for mutual understanding among religions, cultures and civilizations; a true spiritual leader committed to peace, justice, and human rights.