Loretta Sanchez

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 24, 2006, I was unavoidably detained due to a prior obligation. I request that the Congressional Record reflect that had I been present and voting, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 394: ``yes'' (S. 1496); Rollcall No. 395: ``yes'' (S. 203); and Rollcall No. 396: ``yes'' (H.R. 5534).

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, gas prices in this country have just risen to hit yet another record high, reminding us all of how difficult it can be to make ends meet today. This is especially true for the millions of Americans who are struggling to survive and support their families while making the minimum wage. Although it has not been increased since 1997, and it is currently at its lowest level in 50 years when adjusted for inflation, Republicans still refuse to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour. That means if you make $5.15 an hour and you work all year round, you would make $10,700. In fact, it would take you a full day just to fill up your gas tank. With the kind of money you make on minimum wage, there is very little left to support a household, something three-quarters of the people who make minimum wage must do. Mr. Speaker, Democrats believe that no one who works hard at a full- time job should be in poverty. It is time to raise the minimum wage. Congress should not go on vacation without giving these workers their first pay raise in 9 years.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, America needs to be prepared. Whether it is for a commuter train attack or a hurricane, it is clear America must get serious about all hazards preparedness, and that is preparing for all emergencies, whether they are natural or manmade. Today I am introducing the Preparedness First Act to authorize critical grant programs that our State and local governments already depend upon for all hazards emergency preparedness. The premise of this bill? To ensure that States and localities will have a basic level of preparedness so that they can protect their citizens, communicate with each other and work with the Federal Government during any type of emergency, from earthquakes to terrorist attacks. Under this bill, all States would receive a base of preparedness funding. This would guarantee that the Federal Government would have an able partner in every State to coordinate preparedness activities. Additional resources would then be made available to address the unique risk and manmade disasters that are posed in each area. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and put all hazards preparedness first for all Americans.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Public Law Center for its 25 years of service to the people of Orange County, California. Thousands of Orange County lower-income residents have benefited from the myriad of pro bono services that the PLC offers. The PLC has amassed an army of legal professionals to help our community. They hold community legal clinics every-other months. For more specific needs, they help refer clients to specialized private attorneys. The PLC also provides assistance to local community organizations, the non-profits that understand all the challenges that our less fortunate Orange County brothers and sisters face. What would we do if we didn't have the PLC to help navigate the complicated world of employment contracts and housing agreements? The PLC is there too for needy families, and to individuals with special needs, like people living with HIV/AIDS. I am very grateful for the Public Law Center's work with members of the South East Asian community. Our Vietnamese community especially requires and deserves special attention, as they face legal and cultural challenges which are unique to them. One challenge in particular is dealing with the awful scourge of human trafficking. I am proud to call the PLC a partner--along with St. Anselm's Cross Cultural Center, the cities of Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Westminster, along with other community organizations--in their work with the Orange County Human Trafficking Coalition. The U.S. Congress recently recognized the work of the Coalition by awarding it with a Federal law enforcement grant. While the Federal Government works with local law enforcement to arrest and prosecute the traffickers, the PLC and its partners work to provide services to victims. This cooperation is a model for public private cooperation. In its 25 years, the Public Law Center has worked on countless cases, and its service to our community is immeasurable. I can only wish its board, staff and volunteers another 25 years of continued success and service.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, we are more than halfway through the year, and the Republican do-nothing Congress has yet to pass any meaningful legislation that will benefit America's middle class. For too long, President Bush and his friends here in the Congress have worked exclusively on behalf of the CEOs and the most privileged in our Nation. But Democrats believe it is time to take our Nation in a new direction, one where America works for all Americans. Thanks to the misplaced priorities of Washington Republicans, middle- class Americans are working for less today than they were when the recovery began in November 2001. While wages are stagnant, monthly bills have gone through the roof. College costs 40 percent more. Health care costs are 75 percent more, and gas prices have doubled. These dramatic increases have forced millions of hardworking Americans to take on debt. And yet Washington Republicans continue to tout this economy. They really are out of touch. I think they have been spending way too much time at the country club. It is time that the voices of all Americans are heard, and that will only happen with a Democratic Congress.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, Madrid, London, Mumbai. Everywhere in the world, people are aware of the threats that terrorism poses to mass transit systems. Everywhere, it seems, except for the United States. Everyday 11.3 million Americans use passenger rail and mass transit. Our Nation depends on these networks to get us to work, to school, to the doctor, to back home. The networks are open and far reaching and, like other mass transit systems around the world, exceedingly vulnerable to terrorist attack. Despite these facts, and the evidence of recent history, the Department of Homeland Security's transportation initiatives have been almost solely focused on aviation, ignoring all other modes of transportation. The President's budget request for fiscal year 2007 only allocated $37.2 million in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) budget for non-aviation transportation security--less than 1 percent of the TSA budget. In addition, between fiscal years 2003 through 2006, the Department of Homeland Security has only distributed about $387 million for rail and mass transit security grants. These resources are not nearly enough to address the security vulnerabilities in the rail and mass transit networks. I, along with my Democratic colleagues, have been urging the Republican majority and the administration to focus on the threats to rail and mass transit for years, but no real progress has been made. This is very similar to the years that we spent urging action on Port Security, but nothing was done until the Dubai Ports business deal came to light. Unfortunately on the rail and mass transit front we have had plenty of warnings about security vulnerabilities. We have seen the tragic and horrifying attacks on rail and mass transit systems in Madrid, London, and now Mumbai, and yet the administration and the Republican leadership still have not taken any steps to secure our Nation's rail and mass transit systems. What are we waiting for? A suicide bomber on the subway system in New York? A dirty bomb on the DC Metro? Shouldn't we make rail and mass transit security a priority before we get attacked? Next week the Committee on Homeland Security will consider an authorization bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and I urge my Republican colleagues to support the strong rail and mass transit security provisions and adequate funding levels that Homeland Security Democrats will be offering to the bill. We need to require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a thorough national rail and public transportation plan to clarify the Federal, State, and local roles and responsibilities in security these systems. An emphasis must be placed on strengthening intelligence sharing, public outreach and education initiatives, and how to resume operations after an attack. We also must require the development of area rail and public transportation plans to strengthen security planning in regions with more than one rail or public transportation entity, and to ensure the coordination of their security measures. In addition, rail and public transportation systems need to train their employees on how to prevent, prepare for and respond to a terrorist attack, and conduct exercises to test the preparedness of the transportation systems. These initiatives are critical and need to be enacted, but we must provide adequate resources for these programs to avoid forcing yet another unfunded Federal mandate on State and local governments. I urge my colleagues to consider these important proposals to improve rail and mass transit authority. We must not wait any longer to enact real rail and mass transit security measures. The safety and security of Americans depend on it.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment and congratulate the Cal State Fullerton Titans' baseball team for their remarkable season and outstanding run at the College World Series title. Cal State Fullerton made the journey to Omaha for the 14th time in the program's 32-year Division I history. The Titans hold four past College World Series Championships (1979, 1984, 1995, and 2004) and for the first time since 1995, they entered the College World Series undefeated in NCAA Tournament play by sweeping regional and super- regional play. Although the Titans did not win the College World Series, their sweat and hard work paid off, as they had three players, Justin Turner, Danny Dorn and David Cooper represented on the 60th NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team. The Titans finished their remarkable season with a winning record of 50-15 and had nine players drafted in this year's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, which is an incredible accomplishment. I admire the hard work and efforts of these young men after a long and competitive season. It is not an easy task to make it to the College World Series. The city of Fullerton and the State of California are very proud of your efforts. Congratulations to head coach George Horton, assistant coaches Rick Vanderhook, Jason Gill, Ted Silva, the Titan baseball players, and all the Titan fans on a great season. Remember the Titans! Next year will be our year!

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Wolf for agreeing to enter into this colloquy with me on the subject of intellectual property rights. Discussions of international trade and intellectual property rights are often dominated by talk about China, but I would like to bring up that there is no country in the world who is doing a worse job at fighting piracy right now than the country of Vietnam. Ninety percent of all the software used in Vietnam in 2005 was pirated. That is more than the deplorable rate of 86 percent that China has. Piracy in Vietnam is costing our businesses $45 million a year. I know that the chairman shares my disappointment with the lack of action that we have seen from the administration on this issue so far, but despite Vietnam's complete failure to protect intellectual property rights, the administration and certain Members of this House want to grant Vietnam permanent trade relations and WTO membership. I think that it is a huge mistake.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, as you know, I represent the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam in the world in Orange County, California; and certainly our number one issues with respect to how people are treated in Vietnam are the human rights issues, the issues of freedom of the press. There is no press that is not state-owned. I remember being with an archbishop, and he said that he couldn't even pass out information inside the church after the church service because that would be considered the printed word, and that would not be allowed because he was not a state agency, as well as confiscation of land rights, which I have got a bill in the House and we are working on to try to get that returned to religious institutions. But certainly there are moneys in this bill for intellectual property rights, and I would hope that this administration would concentrate some of that. Of course, we need to do it on China. It is a large economy that is growing there. But I think we really need to send a message. As I stated before, I have voted every single time against normal trade relations with Vietnam because I believe that their human rights record is so atrocious and they really haven't changed it. By the way, I have also been denied three times entry into Vietnam in the last few years, simply because I continue to bring up these issues. So I hope that the chairman will work with me, especially as we move forward as the President is deciding to go to Vietnam and as many in this House have decided to push for WTO entry and for normal trade relations with Vietnam. I would hope that people would begin to read some of these reports to understand just how terrible the human rights conditions are in Vietnam. With that, I thank you for the time, Mr. Chairman. Amendment No. 16 Offered by Mrs. Musgrave

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, when you think of Southern California, you think of palm trees and sunshine, right? Most people do, and I'm glad they do. But today I want to remind you that in California, when it rains it pours. And my community of Orange County has a long history of destructive floods. I am particularly pleased that the House is choosing to pass the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act currently before Congress. This bipartisan bill would increase maximum flood premium rates, giving property owners the choice to pay more to receive greater coverage, including living expenses or profit loss beyond what is now covered in the flood insurance program. The bill also makes it clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should listen to local communities whenever updating national flood maps. Currently, FEMA estimates 70 percent of its flood maps are more than a decade out of date. I agree with FEMA's recent call for a speedy update of these important data sets, but haste should not take priority over accuracy. Our local communities need time to report the most up-to-date data for inclusion in these national maps. In California counties where FEMA has set a September 30 deadline to receive preliminary maps, FEMA should clearly grant an extension, rather than continue the flood control planning process without that critical local input. The Army Corps of Engineers is studying flood control issues in a 90- square-mile watershed in Orange County, including Garden Grove and Santa Ana. The Corps' important work there should be taken into account as FEMA looks to draw new maps. I applaud the bipartisan sponsors of this legislation and the bipartisan work of the Rules Committee for allowing debate on several important amendments to this bill. I urge my colleagues to cast a ``yes'' vote today.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, the disparity between the wealthiest Americans and the poorest continues to grow fostered by the failed economic policies of this Republican administration and Congress. Despite huge cost-of-living increases and gas prices, health care, and higher education, Americans who work full time at a minimum wage job have not received a pay raise in over 9 years. While these hardworking Americans struggle to support their families on just $10,700 per year, Republicans in this body are fighting to give millionaires and huge corporations tax breaks. They have even taken their misguided priorities to a new level. After voting in committee to allow a modest increase in the minimum wage, now they don't want to bring it to the House for a vote. Democrats plan to hold a vote on the minimum wage later today because we believe that expanding economic opportunity to 7 million Americans who have been ignored should be a priority. Republicans, please make this a priority.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, over the past 5 years, average, hardworking Americans have been ignored by the Republicans in Washington. While House Republicans have been showering their corporate interest friends with tons of tax breaks, they have refused for 9 years, for 9 years, to bring to the floor a vote to increase the minimum wage. It is time that this Congress gave 7 million people across the United States a raise. Last week the Democrats were successful in adding a minimum wage to the labor appropriation bill, and it was supposed to be on the floor this week, but the House leadership refuses to bring it up. They want to bring it up after the elections. Why would that be? They are afraid if they vote against it, which they need to vote against the minimum wage, the rest of you Americans won't vote for them. So they are going to wait until after the election. The American people should know that House Democrats are not running away from this issue. In fact, increasing the minimum wage is one of our top priorities.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, this week House Republicans will attempt to distance themselves from their 5-year record of fiscal irresponsibility when they try to put through a line- item veto. You may remember that President Bush said that he needed the line- item veto in his State of the Union speech this year. This is nothing but a hoax. President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress have been partners in creating record deficits since taking control, complete control of our government in 2001. Over that time, more than 1,000 bills have been sent to the President to sign; and he has signed all of them, each and every one. And now the President wants a line-item veto. If he was really concerned about the way the House Republican Congress is spending American taxpayer money, one would think that the President would have voted some of these bills down which were sent to his desk. But, no. The President and the Republican Congress have turned a $5 trillion surplus into a $4 trillion deficit. And they have nobody to blame but themselves. So if the President really wanted to do something about spending, he should take some action now and veto some of these bills.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, I rise today to give voice to a few of those outside views about Iraq, those of several former general officers who have the courage to speak out about how this war has been mishandled by the President and this Republican Congress. Take, for example, General Anthony Zinni, former commander of the U.S. Central Command. He says, ``We are paying the price for the lack of credible planning, or the lack of a plan. Ten years' worth of planning were thrown away, troop levels dismissed out of hand . . . these were strategic mistakes, mistake of policy.'' Or how about Major General Paul Eaton, who led the initial effort to create the Iraqi Army. He says that the ``failure to build coalitions with our allies . . . has imposed far greater demands and risks on our soldiers in Iraq than necessary.'' The list goes on and on. These generals have served our country with honor and distinction, and we would be foolish not to heed their counsel. But this administration and this majority refuse to listen to any views other than their own. I agree with many of my colleagues who say that the failure in Iraq is not an option. But unless we take a long, honest look at how we got where we are right now and demand some kind of accountability for the mistakes that were made and learn from those mistakes, there can be no success.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 12, 2006, I was unavoidably detained due to a prior obligation. I request that the Congressional Record reflect that had I been present and voting, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 251: ``yes'' on agreeing to H. Res. 804; rollcall No. 252: ``yes'' on agreeing to H. Res. 794; rollcall No. 253: ``yes'' on agreeing to H. Res. 608; rollcall No. 254: ``yes'' on agreeing to H. Con. Res. 338; rollcall No. 255: ``no'' on agreeing to the previous question during consideration of H. Res. 857.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, the American people want Congress to focus on their priorities, and that is exactly what the House Democrats are doing. We are fighting to expand opportunity to all Americans, not just a privileged few. At a time when the average college student graduates with more than $17,000 in debt, Democrats want to expand the opportunities available to them by cutting the interest rates on their college loans, not increasing them, like the Republicans are doing. At a time when wages remain stagnant for most Americans, Democrats continue to fight to raise the minimum wage because we want a fair and working wage. By increasing the minimum wage, we would not only expand opportunity for 7 million workers, but we would also increase wages for middle-class workers who have not seen a substantial pay raise in over 5 years. At a time when high-paying jobs are going overseas, Democrats have an innovation agenda for science, engineering, information technology. Mr. Speaker, it is time that this House really got to work.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the amendment offered by my good friend from Massachusetts. I understand the concerns that prompted this amendment. Nevertheless, I believe that prohibiting funds to WHINSEC would be wrong-headed and shortsighted. As a member of the WHINSEC Board of Visitors, I've had the opportunity to see firsthand the training that takes place there. Respect for human rights is a fundamental component of the curriculum, and it is a top priority for the Commandant and the faculty. WHINSEC has made significant and sustained efforts over the last several years to reach out to human rights groups--to show them the human rights training that is taking place, and to have them take an active role in that training through lectures, discussions, and other interactions with the students. Some groups choose to participate, others do not. But WHINSEC is making a serious effort to include them. I've heard critics of WHINSEC say that ``Latin America is walking away'' from the Institute, but from what I've seen, nothing could be further from the truth. Enrollment is down only because many countries lack the funding to send their students. Why is that? Because we prohibit IMET funding for countries who haven't signed Article 98 agreements. That's an important issue--something we've been working on in the House Armed Services Committee--but it has nothing to do with other countries' interest or willingness to send students to WHINSEC. On the Armed Services Committee, we've worked very hard over the years to promote regional security cooperation and military-to-military relationships with our allies around the world. Nowhere is this effort more important than in Latin America. We must maintain strong ties with our partners in the region, or else we will wake up to find that our competitors--or even our enemies--have taken our place. We cannot afford to let those relationships falter. And WHINSEC is a vital tool for strengthening security cooperation in the region. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment by my friend from California. Human trafficking is slavery, plain and simple, and we are morally bound to do everything we can to put an end to it. The sad truth is that human trafficking is one of the fastest growing types of transnational criminal activity. And yet, resources to combat it remain scarce. My district, Orange County, is home to many victims of human trafficking, and I've had the opportunity to meet with some of them and also with some of the community groups who are providing these survivors with the support services they desperately need. Orange County is also home to a Counter-Trafficking Task Force working to develop strong partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force trains first responders to identify and rescue trafficking victims, disrupt and apprehend traffickers and make subsequent referral of victims to needed support services. We're very fortunate to have programs like these in the United States, but many other countries lack the resources or the expertise to combat human trafficking on their own. Without coordinated international efforts, we have little hope of defeating the traffickers. That's why we need to dedicate many more of our foreign assistance dollars to helping our friends around the world in their anti- trafficking efforts. This amendment is a good first step, and I am pleased that the Chairman has agreed to accept it.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great man. Mr. Lorin Griset was a much-beloved mayor of Santa Ana, California. Elected in 1969, he presided over the city during a period of great transition and strove to promote tolerance and understanding between racial groups, despite the tensions of the time. Lorin Griset's commitment to his fellow man was born out of his experiences as a young soldier. He served valiantly during World War II, and despite suffering great hardship as a POW in Poland, he returned home and dedicated his life to service. Whether he was organizing an appearance by the Reverend Billy Graham at Anaheim Stadium or serving as a trustee of Biola University, he always remained true to his faith and values that defined his character. Even after leaving politics, Mr. Griset remained dedicated to faith and public service, teaching Sunday school and serving as a deacon of Calvary Church. His lifelong dedication was recently been recognized by the Santa Ana Unified School District, which has decided to name a local school after him. Lorin Griset has been an inspiration to the people he loved and served so well. He will truly be missed.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member. This amendment attempts to penalize States and localities that have confidentiality policies in place. These policies are supported by our State and our local law enforcement because they encourage immigrant communities to come forward and to report crimes without fearing that immigration status will come under scrutiny. And believe me, back in Orange County, in Anaheim, in Santa Ana and some of the other cities I represent, my police chiefs are very adamant about this issue. If crimes are occurring and if the witnesses we have are immigrants, immigrants without documents, if they believe that they will be taken or deported, they are not going to want to come forward and tell us what is happening. This is very important. It is important in hit and drive car accidents, in execution style things that happen in some of the Asian communities. This is a very important issue for our local law enforcement. The message of this amendment would say, it would intimidate immigrants and it would make them less likely to report the crimes to law enforcement or to assist law enforcement. It would hamper the State and local law enforcement's work by intimidating the potential witnesses and community members that would help to solve these crimes. In fact, this is opposed by the National League of Cities, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Association of Counties. They all oppose this amendment. So please protect local government's independence and choice. Keep local public safety decisions and resources local and oppose this amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, during consideration of the Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2007, on May 23, 2006, I inadvertently voted in favor of an amendment, H. Amdt. 895, offered by Representative Blumenauer. It was my intention to vote in opposition to the amendment. My true intention was to vote ``no.''

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me this time. I am dismayed to see the issue of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge come to the floor again, especially under a rule that is narrowly limited. It limits our debate on what is such a volatile issue, and it has the power to turn our Nation far off track in our road to increasing the use of alternative fuels. Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the easy way out. Heading off to one of our last bastions of wildlands to fuel what the President has called an ``addiction to oil'' is shameful. This Congress can do better. This Congress can be creative. As a Californian, I am proud of my State. When we have a problem, we think, we research it, we dedicate the resources. We create and we solve our problems. In a year, when the public is laughing at this Congress for the few days that we are working here, we have a chance to prove to America that we will take on the issue of energy dependence by investing in wind and solar, biomass, hydrogen, efficient energy programs that will create U.S. jobs. Instead of debating these real issues, we are wasting our time once again on this narrow focus of drilling in what is our one pristine national wildland that really deserves saving, not to scour it for oil that will do little to help America's goal of energy independence. I hope that this Congress will vote against this rule and vote against drilling in ANWR.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for that clarification and for your strong support for improving the C-TPAT program.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, today this House will consider the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, a bill I support for funding the safety of our communities and the security of our country. While I am proud this Congress is putting real dollars behind homeland security preparedness programs, it is not enough for us to simply write a check. We must play a more active role. We must engage, discuss, and oversee how that check is being spent. To that end I am working on legislation to authorize in law within the Department the programs most needed back home: the grants for all- hazards emergency planning, supplies needed to carry out those plans, medical and search and rescue support, and antiterrorism and urban area security grants. These grant programs deserve our careful attention, not just simply a brief line in our budget. We all agree that we need to refocus on all-hazards emergency preparedness. I look forward to working with my colleagues to authorize these programs so that our first responders can depend on us.