Loretta Sanchez

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairwoman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act. It is crucial in today's world that we further expand the potential of small businesses and of key industries that have proven to create jobs and to increase our manufacturing base here in the United States. As a former investor and financial analyst, I was particularly impressed with title III of this bill, the Small Business Early Stage Investment program. In recent years, we have seen a shift from the entrepreneur and small business start-up community, from the traditional loans and from leverage such as mortgaging our own homes, to using intellectual capital and innovation as our leverage. As a Californian, I understand the importance of start-up businesses and the economy as California makes up a large percentage of start-ups and venture capital funders. Creating a public-private partnership designed to channel investment capital to them is increasingly important in order to get our economy on track, which is why I submitted an amendment that would include additional criteria during the selection process of these investment companies. My amendment would ensure that, as part of the selection criteria, the small business administrator would examine the extent the investment company would concentrate its investment capital on our targeted industries. Such targeted industries have been historical in job and economic growth, such as the information technologies, life sciences, defense technologies, clean technology, and digital media. The small business start-ups are the backbone of our economy, and they will contribute to all of the sectors so that we can get our economy going again. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Chair, first, I would like to thank our great chairwoman of the Small Business Committee. I know that she's a little under the weather today, so we really appreciate that she would come down and speak on our amendment. As a Californian, I continue to go back every week to my district, and our small businesses are ailing. They're asking for help. They're holding on. A lot of them have not been able to make it through. Those who are still holding on are waiting for us to help them to do something. About a month ago, I had Chairman Bernanke before us in the Joint Economic Committee. And we talked about the fact that we need--really-- we need to help small business. Small business is really where the hiring of America happens. So if they're ailing, then there will be unemployment. So I really believe in this bill. I thank those who have worked on it. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the underlying bill and on this amendment. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very special individual by the name of First Lieutenant Wayne T. Hogancamp. First Lieutenant Hogancamp, who lives in Orange County, California, was awarded the third highest honor in the military for gallantry in action, the Silver Star, on January 1, 1945. While in command of an M-8 cannon platoon and advancing over an enemy-controlled road in the Philippines, First Lieutenant Hogancamp maneuvered his M-8 through a barrage of enemy artillery fire and successfully destroyed two 77 millimeter guns, thus allowing his column to advance. While continuously exposed to enemy fire and using a burning M-5 tank for cover, he eliminated the enemy threat, allowing the safe passage of his men. First Lieutenant Hogancamp's bravery is a testament to the dedication and valor of himself, his unit, and the United States Army. It was an honor for me and my office to have helped Lieutenant Hogancamp obtain his much-deserved Silver Star medal and to have presented it to him this past weekend, 65 years after his heroic act. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring First Lieutenant Wayne T. Hogancamp of the United States Army.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 5072, the FHA Reform Act of 2010. This legislation will, among many provisions, allow FHA to adjust its premium structure for new borrowers, while continuing to provide services to the communities it was intended to serve. Unfortunately, the economic crisis--the national housing prices decline, unemployment, and loan losses--led to the FHA's capital reserves falling below the two percent level required by law. I believe, the changes my colleagues and I will make to this program will help ensure its success in the long term, while reducing federal spending and saving taxpayers $2.5 billion dollars over the next five years. The FHA Reform Act of 2010 will ensure FHA continues its role as a key stabilizing force in the market and support sustainable homeownership for first-time buyers and underserved markets. That said, I believe the FHA will help keep the recovery of our country on track by playing a central role in the housing finance system for some time before it scales back to its role as private capital returns. H.R. 5072 will also grant FHA the authority to terminate lenders' approval to originate or underwrite loans backed by FHA insurance when FHA finds evidence of fraud or noncompliance. Unfortunately, in the second half of 2009, 2,357 default notices were issued to my constituents in the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. For this reason, it's imperative that FHA is reformed, so my constituents seeking to become homeowners are afforded the opportunity to do so from a safe and trustworthy source. This bill is important to my constituents and many other Americans struggling to keep their homes. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. This bill would create or save over one million jobs, extend much needed help to those struggling to find work, and close tax loopholes for corporations that send American jobs overseas. I was unable to cast my vote in support of this important piece of legislation and would like to reflect for the Record that, if I had voted I would have voted yes. With a 12.6% unemployment rate, my top priority is to get Californians back to work; this bill would bring critical assistance to those who are still looking for work by extending unemployment insurance through November of this year. This bill will also create and save jobs by extending tax credits to small businesses, enabling them to hire more employees and expand operations. More needs to be done to help our economy make a full recovery and get our people back to work, but this bill takes care of those who are suffering as our economy continues to recover. Once again, I rise in support of this legislation.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise today as a 14-year member of the House Armed Services Committee and the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities to address probably what I believe is one of the most important assets that we have for the Department of Defense, the role of our small businesses in America. My subcommittee, along with the full committee, has worked hard to develop ways to expand opportunities for small businesses to get defense procurements. For example, we wanted to repeal the Small Business Competitive Demonstration Program. This would reinstitute the use of small business set-asides for Federal procurements in certain industry groups, assuring that these small businesses are awarded a fair proportion of Department of Defense contracts. The repeal of this program would not only have saved DOD money and personnel but would have improved small business prime and subcontracting opportunities. Secondly, the Armed Services Committee was hoping to extend the Small Business Innovation Research program by 1 year and to apply funding toward technical assistance for that program in order to strengthen the ability of small businesses to meet the demands of DOD requirements. It would have made perfect sense to move an extension within this bill because over 50 percent of that program is with the Department of Defense. Also, there is a program called the Mentor-Protege Program. It pairs up major DOD contractors with small businesses, and it helps to develop a relationship with these small contractors to help them. As you can see, these are good provisions for small businesses. Unfortunately, none of these amendments were approved by the Rules Committee because of the objections raised by the House Small Business Committee on grounds of jurisdiction. I think everyone in this Chamber will agree that small businesses are the backbone of many of our districts and I know that this is true in the 47th Congressional District of California. I hope that in the very near future, the Committee on Small Business will work with the Armed Services Committee to rapidly provide these resources to our small businesses. I rise today as a 14-year Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats to address probably what I consider one of the most important assets to the Department of Defense--the role of small businesses. My subcommittee along with the full committee has worked hard to develop ways to expand opportunities for small businesses in defense procurement. Let me provide this chamber with a couple of amendments that would have ultimately not only strengthened this bill and the Department but would have also provided our country's small businesses with the resources in order to thrive in the competitive world of DoD contracting. For example, we wanted to repeal the Small Business Competitive Demonstration Program. This would re-institute the use of small business set-asides for Federal procurements in certain industry groups, assuring that these small businesses are awarded a fair proportion of DoD contracts. The repeal of this program would not only have saved DoD money--but also personnel--while improving small business prime and subcontracting opportunities. Second, the Armed Services Committee was hoping to extend the Small Business Innovation Research program by 1 year and apply funding toward technical assistance for the program in order to strengthen the ability of small businesses to meet the demands of DoD requirements. Currently, 11 Federal agencies are involved in the SBIR Program where DoD takes up 50 percent of the entire SBIR Program. It would have made perfect sense to move such an extension within the NDAA, because DoD has over 50 percent of the program. Through this year's bill the Committee was also working towards extending the DoD Mentor-Protege program by 5 years. The Mentor-Protege program is a program that started with DoD in 1991. This program pairs up major DoD contractors with small businesses and helps develop a relationship where major contractors can provide developmental assistance to small businesses and guide them to a point where they can sustain themselves. As you can see, all these provisions would have significantly expanded and strengthened small business growth. One of my subcommittee's major responsibilities is to provide and expand resources for small businesses who want to do business with DoD. Unfortunately, none of these amendments were approved by the Rules Committee because of objections raised by the House Small Business Committee on grounds of jurisdiction. The FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act is a good piece of legislation that addresses several of the Defense Department's most important challenges, including: The fight to interrupt the flow of violent extremists and the ideological underpinnings of radicalization; The development and deployment of innovative and critical technologies; Defending our homeland from attacks and managing the consequences of catastrophic incidents including natural disasters; Enhancing strategies and capabilities to counter irregular warfare challenges; And enhancing force protection policies governing Department of Defense personnel. And I believe none of these challenges can be met without the innovation and technology of our small businesses. I think everyone in this chamber will agree that small businesses are the backbone of many of our districts; I know it is for the 47th District of California. I hope in the very near future the Committee on Small Businesses will work with the Armed Services Committee to rapidly provide these resources to our small businesses.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember an extraordinary young woman, a scholar, a student activist, Ms. Tam Ngoc Tran of Garden Grove, California, who was recently killed in a head-on collision with her close friend, Cinthya Perez. Tam was the daughter of a refugee couple who fled Vietnam over two decades ago after escaping from a communist reeducation camp. She graduated from Santiago High School, attended Santa Ana College, transferred to UCLA, earned a bachelor's degree in American literature and culture and was a doctoral student at Brown University. Tam was also a courageous leader who inspired many through her personal story of immigration. In 2007, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency raided the Tran home and subsequently arrested Tam and many of her family members. Representatives Lofgren, Smith, and I then wrote a letter to then- Secretary Rice urging her to uphold the U.S. policy regarding the return of refugees to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. That allowed them to remain in the United States.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a distinguished couple that exemplifies the ideals of Asian Pacific Islander American, APIA, Month, Mr. Truc Ho and his wife, Ms. Dieu Quyen. Truc Ho and Dieu Quyen have made tremendous contributions to Orange County, in particular to the Vietnamese American community. As a refugee, Truc Ho escaped communist Vietnam, arriving to the United States in 1981. He is a talented songwriter, composer, and a successful producer. His music and humanitarian efforts have touched the hearts of the Vietnamese communities around the world. Truc is also the CEO of Saigon Broadcasting TV Network, the first 24 hour Vietnamese language channel. Ms. Dieu Quyen Nguyen immigrated to the United States in 1978 at the age of 14. She is a graduate from Cal State Long Beach and is a teacher at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove. Dieu is a dedicated educator and community activist. She serves as a board member for the Council of Vietnamese Language Schools, and is a television news anchor for SBTN- TV and ASIA Entertainment. Together this dynamic duo is known for their philanthropic contributions in helping human trafficking victims; Vietnamese refugees; raising awareness on human rights violations in Vietnam; and preserving the Vietnamese language and culture. Please join me in recognizing these outstanding individuals that have enriched the culture in my district, in Orange County.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, Democrats have stepped up the fight against terrorists and are getting real results that make Americans safe. Democrats are strengthening our security by restoring America's global leadership. We have ended torture. We are working with our allies and are getting countries like Pakistan to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. We have increased funding for counterintelligence activities and human intelligence collection. We have enhanced cybersecurity efforts and bolstered aviation, ports, and border security. We are ensuring troops, veterans, and their families have the support they need on the battlefield and when they come home. That means state- of-the-art equipment and body armor and mine-resistant vehicles that they need to bring them home safely. And we have also made historic investments in our veterans' health care and improved the benefits they have earned when they return home. And we passed a GI Bill for a new generation so that our troops and their family members will have access to a quality education. Mr. Speaker, Democrats are making America stronger.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a very special non-profit organization in my district, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), who celebrates 25 years of being the voice for abused and neglected children in Orange County. Founded in 1985, CASA of Orange County is dedicated to providing quality intervention and advocacy services for children who are caught up in the courts and unable to safely live at home--many of whom are abused, abandoned and neglected children. CASA of Orange County began with 15 volunteers and now has over 700 volunteers serving as mentors and advocates for child abuse victims. In Orange County, on any given day, there are over 2,500 children and teens in foster care who have been removed from their homes due to chronic or severe abuse. In a sea of social workers, attorneys, therapists and caregivers, it's the court appointed volunteer who is a consistent and caring friend and advocate for the child. I want to commend CASA's volunteers and staff who are heroes to many of these children. Thank you for your compassion and commitment to positively influencing the lives of these very special children--one child at a time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. As the Representative of the 47th Congressional District of California, I have a very diverse community, and a lot of them fall into the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. As a proud cosponsor of House Resolution 435, which celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I would like to first thank the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for recognizing the important contributions made by their community to our Nation. For the past 14 years, I have witnessed firsthand the rich culture and contributions that the Asian Pacific Islander community brings to my district in Orange County. The community is an integral component of Orange County, and we see leadership all over the place in Orange County from that community increasingly, as leaders in academia and the arts and government and the military and in the private sector. I would like to recognize all of the community partners and their outstanding service in the Asian Pacific Islander American community of Orange County and their continued efforts.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for the time allotted. And what a wonderful bill, and I believe it is just going to really bring our whole Nation up. Today, we face so many mounting global challenges--international security, reviving the global economy, health, environment, wars going on--and American leadership in response to these challenges depends on national policies such as the legislation that we are debating today. The America COMPETES Act strengthens STEM education in order to prepare our future workforce to excel and to exceed in an international economy. Future generations' ability to address 21st century global matters efficiently and effectively will depend on their preparation and their responsiveness to international affairs. Today, our schools lack some of the tools necessary to enhance United States' competitiveness, essential to our economy and, really, to our international success. And so I firmly believe that our Nation's leadership role in innovation depends on the education we provide in today's classrooms. In fact, one of my top legislative priorities is H.R. 3359, the U.S. and World Education Act, that has many of the types of things that this bill has. To this end, the amendment that I am offering today would include the membership of elementary school and secondary school administrative associations to be part of the President's Advisory Committee on STEM Education. My amendment would add language to include the expertise of kindergarten through 12th grade school principals and administrators to the President's advisory committee created under section 302. The amendment will strengthen section 302 by ensuring the valuable contributions of those who are in our kindergarten through 12th grade system, those administering that, so they can bring back their ideas and tell us what is going on, because evidence suggests that kids lose interest in STEM in those grade levels. So I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of this past April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month where Americans across the country worked to raise awareness of child abuse prevention and services available to victims. Child abuse is a tragic, destructive, and a largely silent epidemic that affects millions of Americans--both children and adults. And it is never more tragic than when it is sexual in nature. Unfortunately one in six children in our country experience this in their lifetime. In fact, in my district, there was a young woman who was abused by a teacher she knew and respected over a decade ago. I am proud to say that she has not only recovered and is leading a happy life, but is also one of the officers in a group headquartered in Santa Ana called The Innocence Mission, which is working to help prevent abuse. The Innocence Mission is putting forward a message of empowerment, one that tells parents they CAN prevent child sexual abuse. A message that speaks directly to children and adult survivors and says to them-- they are not alone. Victims have the support of their communities, and have nothing to be ashamed of. Far too often we read stories of child abuse in the headlines. It is heartbreaking and preventable, and that is why we must work to raise awareness not only just in April but year round.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. And I am here today to honor and remember our fallen soldiers, American veterans, and our South Vietnamese allies, who fought and died in the name of freedom and democracy. For the past 14 years, I have had the privilege of representing one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the United States. I have listened to their amazing stories and worked with them to advocate for freedom and human rights in Vietnam. During my 14 years in Congress, I have seen first-hand the passion of the Vietnamese-American community and their unwavering determination not only to succeed as a Vietnamese-American but also bring freedom to the people of Vietnam. My colleagues and I honor all those who fought for democracy and freedom in Vietnam and urge the Vietnamese-American communities to continue their fight against the continued persecution and injustice in Vietnam.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which raises awareness of child abuse and the services available to victims. Child abuse is a tragic, destructive, and a largely silent epidemic that affects millions of Americans--both children and adults. And it is never more tragic than when it is sexual in nature. Unfortunately one in six children in our country experiences this type of abuse in their lifetime. In my district, I can think of one young woman in particular who was abused by a teacher she knew and respected over a decade ago. I am proud to say that she has recovered and is leading a happy life. She is also one of the officers in a group headquarted in Santa Ana called The Innocence Mission, which is working to help prevent abuse. The Innocence Mission is putting forward a message of empowerment, one that tells parents they can prevent child sexual abuse. A message that speaks directly to children and adult survivors and says to them,--''you are not alone.'' Victims have the support of their communities, and have nothing to be ashamed of. Far too often we read stories of child abuse in the headlines. It is heartbreaking and preventable, and that is why Congress and groups like the Innocence Mission must continue to advocate for victims and raise public awareness.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor our military forces who have fought valiantly to strengthen our counterterrorism strategy. My top priority as chairwoman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats, and Capabilities is to provide all the necessary resources to our military in order to protect our country from terrorist threats. I would like to especially recognize our U.S. Special Operations Forces, who have been an integral part of our counterterrorism strategy. The U.S. Special Operation Forces have been successful in developing valuable relationships with the governments in Pakistan and Afghanistan, ultimately leading to the capture of hundreds of al Qaeda fighters and affiliates. However, terrorism is not limited to Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, our forces are also in regions such as Yemen to root out terrorists and send a loud message to those who seek to do us harm that we will not let them operate freely like that. Congress must be proactive about addressing all terrorist threats to our country through intelligence, diplomacy and with our Armed Forces.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I am here to recognize the new START treaty that was recently signed by President Obama and the Russian President and the recently released 2010 Nuclear Posture Review. I believe it is important to realize that the Cold War is over, and it is time to align our nuclear policy with the new generation of security threats. The biggest threat facing our country today is having nuclear materials fall into the hands of an organization called al Qaeda. History has shown that building our nuclear stockpile has not deterred al Qaeda and other actors from trying to gain nuclear capabilities. What we do need to do is to take smart steps to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to those enemies and secure vulnerable nuclear materials from those who want to get their hands on that to do us harm. I believe the new START treaty and the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review are important steps in the right direction. It is also important to note that America still has a very robust nuclear arsenal, and that as we work towards a nuclear-free world we will not take any action that would put our security at risk. Our country will be more, not less secure from these new initiatives.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Bob Rohdenburg who passed away on Saturday, March 6 of this year. Bob had been a dedicated pastor at the Garden Grove Unified Methodist Church and an Orange County Congregation Community Organization, or OCCCO, as we know it, board member for many years. He remained passionate about justice and the role of the church in public life until the very end. He was particularly passionate about the accessibility of health care for everyone, having witnessed the dysfunction of the health care system through his son's experience as a doctor and, of course, his own experience as a patient. He traveled to Washington, D.C., on more than one occasion to share his faith and his vision with our elected officials. Bob challenged OCCCO both with his vision and with the depth of his faith reflections. He had a profound role in shaping OCCCO, and he was a positive influence on the members of his church and beyond. He will be deeply missed. I send my deepest condolences to his wife Cynthia, his daughter Denise, his son Paul and his granddaughter.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Women's History Month and to honor a small business owner from Orange County, Silvia Ichar, publisher of Para Todos magazine. Silvia exemplifies the principles of this month through her magazine, which showcases the women of the arts, business, community service, and politics. As a small business advocate and entrepreneur, she has demonstrated leadership in communicating the importance of women-owned and minority-owned businesses, in particular in the growing Hispanic business sector. She has received numerous business awards, including the Small Business Administration's award of 2009 for Small Business Journalist of the Year. She has also served as a board member for various Hispanic business organizations, including the California and the Orange County Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, the Latin Business Association, and the National Latina Business Women Association. I am very proud of Silvia's achievement and her small business advocacy.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Women's History Month. This month we will be celebrating not only the accomplishments of women, but will also be raising the awareness of the various challenges that still exist and face women today. Today, women make up about 12 percent of our 1.2 million active U.S. servicemembers. Today, women like Tran Khai Thanh Thuy are sacrificing their rights to fight for democracy and freedom in Vietnam. Today, the United States Government is led by more women leaders than ever before. But unfortunately, women today also continue to be challenged by discrimination, sexual assault, and violence. Despite all of the progress we have made, women and girls continue to be trafficked across international borders on a daily basis. This month, I encourage all of my colleagues to not only recognize the progress women have made, but also to take action to expand the rights of women today and for future generations.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, February 14 marked the start of the Lunar New Year, a holiday celebrated by Asian and Asian Americans around the world. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the rich history and contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to our country. For the last 13 years, I've had the pleasure of representing the largest Vietnamese population in the world out of Vietnam, which is right in Orange County, California. Every year, the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California organizes the Orange County Tet Festival, which celebrates the Lunar New Year with an array of traditional foods, ceremonies and customs. This year, we celebrate the Year of the Tiger, known for their courage and optimism and fearless leadership. Those are the qualities of the tiger, and all of my constituents have demonstrated them in overcoming the enormous challenges that are facing our economy. Again, it is a great honor to represent the Vietnamese community in Orange County, and I look forward to wishing them a great new year. Chuc ma na moi!

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA, which helps make college a possibility for many young Americans. The 2010-2011 form is now available and has been improved by eliminating 22 questions and 17 Web screens from the overall application. These improvements--which will lessen obstacles for accessibility and financial aid--will help achieve President Obama's goal of generating the highest number of college graduates by 2020. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act which I proudly supported, further enhances FAFSA and brings us a step closer towards accomplishing the President's goal. Every student, regardless of their parents' economic status, should be able to attend college. For years I have teamed up with schools and stakeholders to sponsor ``FAFSA Nights'' for parents and students; in my district. This year I will hold a total of three ``FAFSA Nights'' in my district. The first two events drew close to 500 people and we anticipate that over 300 will attend the third event. I encourage my colleagues to hold similar events.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of Mr. Smith from Washington, I rise to offer the amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of this amendment, which I am pleased to offer today on behalf of my colleague, Mr. Smith of Washington, who is unable to be with us today due to a health issue. I thank the gentleman for offering this amendment, which will strengthen our cybersecurity workforce, in turn protecting the security of our Nation. Our country faces numerous cyberattacks each day, and as a result, we must ensure that our cyberworkforce not only possesses the knowledge and the skills necessary to defend our networks but also the ability to collaborate with the numerous departments and agencies within the Federal Government who lead the effort to combat these threats. Information technology professionals at our civilian agencies who may not deal with classified information on a daily basis should be able to provide their expertise and have the ability to work with and discuss cyber-related issues with the Department of Defense and our intelligence community. To that end, this amendment would modify Section 107 of the bill, which calls for the President to submit a report to Congress addressing the cybersecurity workforce needs of the Federal Government. The amendment would require the report to also examine the current security clearance and job suitability requirements that may serve as a deterrent to hiring an adequately trained cyber-workforce. Again, I want to wish Congressman Smith a speedy recovery and encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.