Loretta Sanchez

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mrs. Maloney of New York for coming up with this, for working with so many of us, because we have heard from so many of the people we represent asking for just some better and fairer types of practices for credit cards. I rise today as a cosponsor of this bill. While the economic crisis on Wall Street is on the front page of every newspaper, many American families are actually dealing with their own crisis at home, and that is this crisis of how they get credit and how they manage credit. Credit card debt in the United States has reached a record high, nearly $1 trillion, and unfortunately, many Americans are subjected to these excessive credit card fees and unfair interest rate increases with no warning, among other misleading and questionable tactics. This legislation today would end practices that would require credit card companies to provide 45 days' notice before interest rate increases, and mailing billing statements 25 calendar days before the due date, instead of only 14. In addition, this bill would prohibit double cycling billing so that companies cannot charge consumers interest on debt that they actually have already paid on time. This legislation provides consumers with needed protections, while allowing credit card companies to balance the financial risk of the consumers they lend to. I think that's what's important, that the credit card companies also have to take responsibility for the type of credit risk that they're taking on. We're talking so much today about credit risks. Well, this is one of the areas that is incredibly important. This has been going on for too long. Credit card companies just give credit to anybody, and they're really not taking the responsibility of what type of risk is there. We have to protect the access to credit, but we also have to take into account and protect Americans against some of these bad practices.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6869, the Border Security Search Accountability Act of 2008, which I introduced into the House last week. This bill establishes strict guidelines for Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's electronic device seizure policy. It is important to ensure that Customs and Border agents have the tools necessary to go after potential terrorists. This bill allows for the appropriate search, review, retention and sharing of information on an individual's electronic device, as necessary for security purposes. H.R. 6869 also ensures that when an individual's property is seized at a point of entry, there is a well-defined procedure in place that will protect their privacy and electronic data, especially the doctor- patient and attorney-client privileges. This legislation also requires the Department of Homeland Security to post information about individual rights related to border searches in visible areas near the search points so that individuals will understand their rights.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I thank the kind chairman for not only allowing me to speak on this, but also for all the work that you've done to put this together. I rise today in support of the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act. A lack of action by the previous Republican-led Congresses and policies of the Bush Administration have led to skyrocketing gas prices while Big Oil companies are earning their largest profits in American history. We need to act now. We need to pass a balanced energy bill, which is exactly what H.R. 6899 is. Many Americans are facing financial hardship because of our country's energy struggles. This bill expands domestic drilling, it protects States' rights to maintain control over their shores, and it allows America to move towards the future by investing in new sources of energy. Despite some of the speeches we have heard on the floor today, the American people and the States are not unanimously in favor of an offshore drilling free-for-all. The looming expiration of the offshore drilling ban on September 30 would allow drilling as close as three miles offshore in my home State of California. That's very concerning for Californians who are committed to protecting our shores from any drilling. And I support their sentiment. This bill provides a compromise, ensuring that States like California can opt out of offshore drilling. Quite frankly, it seems like those people who would be for States' rights would support this provision that ensures that States are involved in the decision of whether to drill between 50 and 100 miles off of their shores. In addition, the remaining Outer Continental Shelf beyond the 100 miles would be open to oil and gas leasing. As you might imagine, that doesn't thrill Californians, but this is a compromise; it's a compromise that gives States control over the waters closest to them while also advancing the Federal drilling interests further offshore. In addition to the drilling provision, this bill will help enhance our national security and move toward energy independence by investing in renewable sources of energy. This legislation expands and extends tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy such as solar and wind and plug-in hybrid cars and energy-efficient homes and buildings and appliances. I urge everybody to vote for this bill.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sister Eileen McNerney, executive director of Taller San Jose in Santa Ana, California on the occasion of her retirement at the end of this month. Sister McNerney first arrived to the great city of Santa Ana in 1992, and she has made a significant contribution to bettering the lives of the Santa Ana youth through the workshop that she founded over 12 years ago, a workshop called Taller San Jose. Students at Taller San Jose learn to leave behind the violence of gangs, the harm of drugs and alcohol and the trauma of becoming a teen parent by training for a career in construction, computers and yes, even medicine. Taller San Jose, or Workshop San Jose, is a highly respected and recognized trade school within the city of Santa Ana, and it has received many domestic and international grants, awards and recognition. Sister McNerney's dedication to the youth of Santa Ana continues in her retirement, as she is encouraging Taller San Jose to find someone new, new leadership to infuse that leadership into that group. She is an extraordinary example of community leadership. She is a friend, and I thank her for her years of service to our community.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, on May 18, 2007, a young mother was executed in cold blood by her former live-in boyfriend. The woman's 11-year-old daughter was in the house and heard her mother begging for her life, then a pause, then a gunshot, and then silence. Santa Ana Police Detective Chuck Salle, badge number 2005, was on assignment to the United States Marshall's Fugitive Task Force and was tasked with tracking down and arresting that suspect. Task force members located the suspect in a crowded restaurant and arranged a meeting away from the public area. Detective Salle approached the suspect, identified himself as a police officer, and the suspect pointed his gun directly at Salle's head and fired. The bullet missed, officers returned fire, and the suspect fell to the ground fatally wounded. Today, the Treasury Department will recognize Officer Salle with the highest valor award that they honor ATF agents with. Today, I publicly commend and thank Detective Salle, the United States Marshall's Fugitive Task Force, and law enforcement officers all across this great Nation for their efforts in protecting and serving our communities, day or night, rain or shine, every minute of the day.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor to acknowledge the bipartisan work of this Congress and the Bush administration on the housing bill that the House passed yesterday. This legislation is in the best interests of the American people, and it was the product of honest negotiation and compromise between the administration and this Congress. At the beginning of the 110th Congress, I had hoped that this type of work between the legislative and the executive branches would take place regularly. Unfortunately, it has been a rare occurrence. I'm optimistic that the next administration will be prepared to put forth ideas and to work collaboratively with the Congress instead of resorting to tired rhetoric and dragging their feet on policies that are supported by Americans. I'm glad that we had a positive breakthrough and bipartisan negotiations with this important housing bill. It will provide needed assistance to homeowners, to communities, and Main streets across the Nation. And I look forward to the Senate's swift passage of this legislation to enhance the economic future of the United States.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, on Thursday July 17, 2008, I was unavoidably detained due to a family emergency and had I been present and voting, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 511: ``yes.'' On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 6515.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, I was unavoidably detained in my congressional district and had I been present and voting, I would have voted as follows: (1) rollcall No. 512: ``yes'' on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 6493; (2) rollcall No. 513: ``yes'' on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H. Res. 1311; (3) rollcall No. 514: ``yes'' on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H. Res. 1202.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to recognize the many charities across this nation that serve children, and to support H. Res. 1296. Declaring September as National Child Awareness Month will provide an excellent collaborative opportunity for children's charities and youth- serving organizations by bringing national attention to issues of vital concern to our children such as education, healthcare, social service, active living, arts and character development. Children's charities and youth-serving organizations come in all shapes and sizes from the Boys and Girls Club to the Saint Joseph Ballet in Santa Ana, California. However, no matter the size, their mission is to improve the lives of the children they serve. The enhanced awareness of children's charities and youth-serving organizations, that will be made possible by this resolution, will assist these organizations' efforts to raise needed funding and to encourage volunteers to become involved in the lives of the most disadvantaged children in their communities. This Congress has made many symbolic gestures in support of children in the past. It is my hope that this resolution will have a greater impact resulting in the official declaration of September as National Child Awareness Month.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to urge the President to reconsider his veto threat of H.R. 6331, the broadly supported Medicare improvement legislation that was passed by this House on June 24. It is my hope that the other body takes quick action to pass this responsible legislation. The Medicare beneficiaries and veterans who are enrolled in TRICARE are depending on this physician payment fix becoming law. If this legislation is not passed into law, millions of Americans will no longer be able to visit their physicians and receive the regular quality care that they rely on. I understand that some Members of the Congress have concerns about the pay-for in this legislation. However, this Congress and this government cannot continue to pass the buck on fiscal responsibility whenever we are faced with difficult choices. I believe we have found a responsible way to pay for the physician payment fix that is in the best interest of all Medicare beneficiaries. And again, I urge the President to rescind his veto threat.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss human rights in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to the United States. I understand that, when President Bush and Prime Minister Dung met, they discussed the importance of promoting human rights in Vietnam and that Prime Minister Dung told President Bush that the Vietnamese Government has made efforts and is committed to further promoting and improving human rights in Vietnam. Now, as a long-time advocate of human rights in Vietnam and as a representative of one of the largest Vietnamese-American communities, we know that human rights in Vietnam have only been getting worse. The Government of Vietnam has continued to harass, arrest and to sentence peaceful democracy advocates to prison--oh, and by the way, also United States citizens of Vietnamese descent. If there is any evidence of Prime Minister Dung's claim that human rights in Vietnam are improving, I urge him to show it to this Congress, but I doubt that he is telling the truth.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor the service of Anaheim City School District Superintendent Sandra Barry and to wish her luck in her upcoming retirement. Throughout her 11 years with the school district, including the last 8 as superintendent, Mrs. Barry has done an excellent job leading the Anaheim City School District, which is the largest elementary school district in Orange County and one of the largest in the State of California. I applaud Superintendent Barry's commitment to the entire Anaheim community. Mrs. Barry has given her time and energy to many causes, including being on the board of directors for the Tiger Woods Foundation, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and the Police Chief Community Advisory Board. Her dedication to the community and the future of our Anaheim children is clear through her many achievements. I sincerely thank superintendent Barry for her leadership, her commitment and her dedication to brightening the academic future of every Anaheim elementary student. She will be missed, but her lasting influence, and especially with respect to all the educators in the district, will go on for a long time in Anaheim. I wish my good friend the best in her retirement, and I thank her for making the Anaheim City School District a great place to learn.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today the House of Representatives is considering House Resolution 1199, which honors the 75th anniversary of the Orange County Water District. As a sponsor of this legislation, I would like to thank the Committee on Natural Resources, especially the gentleman from West Virginia, Chairman Rahall, for his assistance in bringing this resolution to the floor, and my good friend from Guam for managing this resolution. I also would like to thank the rest of my colleagues from Orange County, all of whom are original cosponsors of this resolution. You see, this Water District, the Orange County Water District, began its operations in 1933 when then California Governor James Rolph, Jr. signed it into existence on June 14. At that time, the Water District covered more than 163,000 acres and was intended to serve about 60,000 people primarily in agriculture. That is the beginning of Orange County. But today, the Orange County Water District covers well over 200,000 acres, and it serves a population of more than 2.3 million people. As it has grown, the Water District has stayed on top of its game at the forefront of efforts with respect to water supply and the efficient distribution of that through Orange County. And the best example of that, of course, is what we just opened in January of this year, and that is our groundwater replenishment system. The replenishment system is on the cutting edge of water reuse technology. It will purify 70 million gallons of water a day to provide clean drinking water for more than 100,000 Orange County families. This system is the premier groundwater replenishment project in the world. And Orange County is often visited by other people from our country and from dignitaries from around the world, scientists from around the world, engineers from around the world, who want to come and see what we are doing. And yes, basically what we're doing is that we dispose of the water by flushing the toilet, send it into a tertiary process, clean it purer than the water you would find in the ground. We put it into the ground, and about 3 or 4 years later the same water is being used through your house once again. This makes it self-contained. It means that in a desert like southern California, we are not importing water for our usage, we're actually using our own water over and over, and this is the wave of the future. As I said, so many from around the world, from Israel and from other places, are coming to take a look at what we have done. And even just recently, the Mayor of Los Angeles said he would like to try to make a system like that work in the County of Los Angeles. So the Orange County Water District's vision and initiative in establishing this system is the reason that it received the 2008 Clair A. Hill Award from the Association of California Water Agencies, and it was also named the Public Water Agency of the Year in 2008. Throughout its 75-year history, the Orange County Water District has proven that it is a leader in identifying and creating new and existing options to meet the water needs of California, of our Nation, and of the world. Along with the entire county delegation, I hope that all of my colleagues will vote for this resolution today.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, June 14, the Orange County Water District will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Along with the other members of the Orange County delegation, I introduced House Resolution 1199 to honor this significant occasion. The Orange County Water District's 75th anniversary is particularly meaningful as it comes just months after we opened up the largest groundwater treatment replenishment system in the Nation on January 10, 2007. The replenishment system is on the cutting edge of water reuse technology. It will purify 70 million gallons of water a day, providing clean water to over 100,000 families in Orange County. The vision and the initiative by the District in establishing the groundwater replenishment system is the reason it received the 2008 Clair A. Hill Award and was named the Public Water Agency of the Year in 2008. The District is a leader in identifying and creating new and exciting options to meet the water needs of California, of the Nation and of the world, and I hope that this resolution will make its way to this House quickly.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6028, the Merida Initiative to Combat Illicit Narcotics and Reduce Organized Crime Authorization Act of 2008. H.R. 6028 creates a foundation for future cooperation in assisting our neighbors to the south in combating the rise of organized crime. This legislation is a good starting point but much more work will need to be done, including significant transnational and interagency cooperation, in order to ensure the success of the Merida Initiative. I was disappointed that the House Homeland Security Committee was not included in the development of this bill, despite the fact that the Department of Homeland Security will play a large role in the Initiative by coordinating its agencies that are already assisting Mexico and other foreign governments to address smuggling, trafficking and violence on our borders. Last week the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, which I have the privilege of chairing, had a hearing entitled ``The Merida Initiative: Examining U.S. Efforts to Combat Transnational Criminal Organizations.'' This hearing highlighted the importance of the Merida Initiative in stemming the growing transnational crime in the United States and on our borders. For example, in my home district in Orange County, CA, gang violence is on the rise as a result of the huge presence of the largest transnational gang in the United States, Mara Salvatrucha, in Los Angeles County. It is reported that there are over 900 members of Mara Salvatrucha in Los Angeles County, and many of these gang members are in the United States illegally. The rise of this type of gang in the United States can be linked to a practice by many of the drug cartels of ``contracting out'' drug, ammunition, and weapon smuggling activities to these gang members. The Homeland Security hearing emphasized that many agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security will need to work together closely to stop these growing transnational crime networks. H.R. 6028 must ensure interagency cooperation within the United States in order to succeed abroad with the foreign governments we seek to assist. As I stated earlier, much more needs to be done in order to help stem the violence along the U.S. and Mexican border, but this bill helps build the necessary foundation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to help ensure further cooperation between the key departments involved in its implementation.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3021, a bill that will help our local schools build the high-quality classrooms that our students deserve. This responsible legislation, which we will consider today, provides for needed investments in public school facilities, investments that will result in improved student performance. Our Nation's public school facilities are in disrepair. This is a disgrace, and it impedes our students' ability to learn. Local education agencies want to make a difference, but they need our help. With our younger students, we know that maintenance issues draw them away from focusing on what they need to focus on in the classroom, when they see chipping paint, water dripping from ceilings, poor heating and cooling. We need to change that. And older students cannot be prepared for the 21st Century if they don't have a 21st Century classroom. These examples are not just anecdotal. There is firm evidence that suggests that we must invest in our school facilities in order to improve students' performance. By failing to do so, we are sending our youth a message that we don't care about them. So I hope that my colleagues will vote with the best interests of our students and vote on this legislation in the affirmative today.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I wish to thank Chairman Skelton for his hard work and leadership in developing this important piece of legislation. And, Mr. Chairman, I would also like to say to the gentlemen who are retiring this year, I think just on the top row of our committee, we are probably losing collectively about 65 years of experience on this committee, and it has been my pleasure over the last 12 years to serve on this committee with you all, and you will sorely be missed and the institutional knowledge that you carry will be missed also. So we have a lot of good colleagues who are leaving the Congress this year. This legislation provides critical support to our Armed Forces through many important initiatives. I'm proud that the legislation, for example, provides a 3.9 percent across-the-board pay raise for the members of our services. And in addition, H.R. 5658 prohibits the implementation of the President's proposals to increase health care co- pays and cost sharing for beneficiaries of the TRICARE health care and pharmacy services. This bill also takes a step in providing for the first time ever the military preventative health care programs, which will improve the lives of our servicemembers, of our retirees, and family members. Preventative health care has been proven to improve individuals' long- term health and to provide substantial cost savings since healthier people require less medical service. And I'm very pleased that Chairwoman Davis proposed this innovative health care program and that it is also paid for. This bill also includes several proposals that I sought to have included. And as the ranking woman on the Armed Services Committee, I am proud that one of these provisions establishes a centralized case- level database of information about sexual assaults that involve our servicemembers. The database will be consistent with all privacy guidelines and restrictions while tracking information about the nature of assaults and the outcome of any legal proceedings in connection with the assault.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, this is a very important step towards ensuring accountability for sexual assaults involving our servicemembers. I'm also very proud that per my request this bill requires the Department of Defense to conduct a study of its bandwidth needs for the near and long term. This study will help us ensure that the department has the capability to operate the advanced information technology systems that our military relies on. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It really is a great bill. And thank you to all of our Chair people and ranking members for having made it such a great bill.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, as you may know, I have the privilege of representing the Vietnamese community in Orange County--one of the largest outside of Vietnam. Human rights is an important issue to me and my Vietnamese constituents. Today, I want to highlight the importance of continuing to work for freedom and democracy in Vietnam, and to commend the advocates that are committed to this cause. This year marks the 14th anniversary of the House-Senate Joint Resolution designating May 11th as Vietnam Human Rights Day. As we prepare to observe Vietnam Human Rights Day, it is clear that the struggle is far from over. Human rights violations in Vietnam have only gotten worse since Vietnam was granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, removed from the State Department's list of Countries of Particular Concern, added to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and allowed to be a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. In my eyes, these policies, endorsed by the Bush Administration, have been rewards for a government that has made no real effort to improve its human rights record. The Government of Vietnam claimed that it had improved its human rights record, and that it would continue to make progress on the issue of human rights. However, their record speaks for itself. The Government of Vietnam has harassed, arrested and sentenced democracy advocates many of whom were not afforded a trial. That list includes: Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Phong, Nguyen Binh Thanh, Nguyen Bac Truyen, and Nguyen Van Dai, lawyer--just to name a few. But the list doesn't stop there. Since 2006 the Government of Vietnam has detained six American citizens--all falsely accused and harassed. One of those cases includes Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan who has been incarcerated in Vietnam since November for promoting peace and non-violence. Since his detainment in Vietnam, I have called for his immediate release and authored letters to both Secretary Rice and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urging his safe return to the United States. I have met with his wife Mai Huong and have seen the anguish this injustice has caused their family--a family that has not been able to communicate with their loved one since last year. Dr. Nguyen Quan now awaits a trial scheduled for May 13 along with fellow democracy activists: Mr. Nguyen The Vu and Mr. Somsak Khunmi. I call on the Government of Vietnam to afford Dr. Quan and the other democracy advocates a fair and just trial. It is my greatest hope that his trial will be handled in a fair manner, unlike that of Father Ly, who was gagged, unable to speak at his own defense, and sentenced to 8 years in prison. So today I join the Vietnamese community in commemorating Vietnam Human Rights Day and urging support for the continuing advocacy efforts that are fighting for the most basic freedoms that we in the U.S. enjoy--freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion. These freedoms do not exist in Vietnam. I will continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus to advance human rights for the people of Vietnam. And as a cosponsor of H.R. 3096, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007, I will continue to advocate for its passage with my colleagues in the Senate. I am pleased that Senator Barbara Boxer held a hearing on this legislation last March. It is my hope that H.R. 3096 will be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. This would be a clear message that Congress wants to see the Government of Vietnam get serious about improving human rights conditions

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, every day and every night firefighters, police officers, and other first responders keep our communities safe and are ready to respond to emergencies as they arise. Among all of the dedicated first responders in our cities and towns, several local agencies have taken their commitment a step further by sponsoring Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces. There are 28 Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces around the country, including one in my own district, sponsored by the Orange County Fire Authority. These task forces stand ready to respond to natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, and to terrorist attacks. For example, FEMA deployed 25 of the 28 on 9/11, and 28 of the 28 task forces to Hurricane Katrina. Despite the fact that these task forces are deployed by FEMA, they have not been authorized by the Congress and as a result, the task force members are not eligible for Federal disability or death benefits if they are injured while federally deployed. I have introduced H.R. 4183, the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act of 2007, which could give them the protections that they deserve. I hope all Members will join me in moving this legislation forward.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in support of the manager's amendment and the underlying bill. I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for including the Sanchez amendment in his manager's amendment. My amendment will require the United States Coast Guard Academy to establish comprehensive policies, training programs, surveys and reports on sexual harassment and sexual violence involving cadets or Academy personnel. Several years ago, I added a similar amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill to require the military academies under the Armed Services Committee jurisdiction to establish the same types of policies, and I am pleased that this amendment will ensure that all of our military service academies are treated the same; that they all have plans to prevent sexual assault, and that we know the incidents and allegations of sexual assault and that we know how to handle them. This amendment also requires the academies to conduct surveys to get feedback on sexual harassment and sexual violence in the workplace, and this amendment will help to reduce the incidents of sexual assault and it will make our academies safer environments. I urge my colleagues to support the manager's amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank both my chairmen for the time. I rise today in support of H.R. 2830, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act. As the chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, I have the jurisdiction over the Coast Guard's security missions. I am very pleased that the Homeland Security Committee had the opportunity to mark up this legislation and that we included several provisions that will strengthen the Coast Guard's maritime security activities. This bill increases the Coast Guard's end strength by 1,500 members to ensure that there are adequate personnel to carry out all of the Coast Guard's missions. This addresses my long-standing concerns about inadequate staffing at the Coast Guard. The legislation also requires the use of security zones around all liquefied natural gas, or LNG, facilities. This is a critical step in stopping these facilities from becoming targets as the number of LNG imports increases. This bill will also improve the lot of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or the TWIC, by providing more facilities where workers can submit their fingerprints so they can enroll in TWIC more efficiently and meet the September 25, 2008, deadline. This affects 650,000 port workers. In addition, the legislation enhances oversight of TWIC by requiring reports to Congress and the GAO on ongoing program implementation. H.R. 2830 requires the establishment of an additional maritime security response team. Currently there is only one in the Nation, and it is based on the east coast. It makes sense to have a second one, because, of course, there are plenty of people on the west coast, and we need it. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and its many provisions. It strengthens the security operations and the safety operations that our Coast Guard does. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all of those who worked so hard on this bill.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1089, which I introduced on Tuesday, calling for an end to the Vietnamese Government's imprisonment, detention and harassment of those who signed the Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy For Vietnam. On April 8, 2006, 118 Vietnamese citizens signed a manifesto in support of peaceful action to bring democracy and basic human rights to the Vietnamese people. Thousands of Vietnamese people have since signed this document, refusing to be silent while their government continues to violate their human rights. In retaliation, the Government of Vietnam has jailed, detained and harassed those brave people. I introduced this important resolution to mark the 2-year anniversary of the original signing of the manifesto and to highlight the ongoing human rights atrocities in Vietnam. Not only does my resolution call on the Government of Vietnam to release peaceful advocates, but it also asks our State Department to establish a list of Countries of Particular Concern based on human rights violations, which would hold nations like Vietnam accountable.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, on Monday, March 31, 2008, I was unavoidably detained with a prior obligation. I would have voted as follows: (1) Rollcall No. 147: ``yes''--On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3352. (2) Rollcall No. 148: ``yes''--On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2675. (3) Rollcall No. 149: ``yes''--On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H. Con. Res. 302.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, was before us at the Joint Economic Committee. Chairman Bernanke noted many negative factors for the current economy, increased unemployment claims, increased food and energy prices, and it has reduced Americans' confidence in the economy. Recently, we have all seen news reports about the Federal Reserve's unprecedented actions aimed at increasing liquidity, stabilizing credit markets, and protecting a Wall Street investment bank from bankruptcy. Despite these dramatic measures, liquidity remains limited, and with only news reports to go on, the American public seems unsure about whether government is acting in their best interest. The Federal Reserve needs to start clearly informing the American public about the impact of its actions. This openness would encourage sensible economic policy, bring stability to the markets, and help restore individuals' confidence in the government and in our economy. Millions of homeowners are struggling to make mortgage payments or have already lost their homes, and they do not feel like their government is helping them. The Federal Reserve needs to clearly communicate better to the American people.