Loretta Sanchez

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 129 on April 13, 2000 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in disappointment that my amendment was not made in order to H.R. 1776. My amendment would empower shared housing placement organizations with the authority to run background checks on potential shared housing participants. This amendment does not mandate any agency to run background checks-- they simply authorize the shared housing agencies to request FBI files through local and state agencies. And the cost of this program is fully supported by user fees, not federal tax dollars. It makes sense to bring this proposal during this debate of H.R. 1776. Homeownership is said to be an important building block of strong families and healthy communities. What's astonishing and saddening to hear, is that each year, an estimated 1 to 2 million Americans are victims of abuse in their own homes, namely seniors and the disabled. As many people grow older, remaining in their homes should increase their level of comfort and security, rather than threaten their peace of mind. Many seniors seeking independence during the later years of their lives enter into shared housing agreements where they can remain in their own homes and still receive daily care. These arrangements are made by non-fee, home-finder referral services that match seniors or the disabled with others who wish to share a house, apartment, or mobile home at affordable rates. There are more than 350 referral programs throughout the country. Unfortunately, senior citizens and the disabled are too often manipulated and abused physically or financially, by their caretakers within the privacy of their own homes. And this abuse is on the rise. Currently, there is neither a national nor a statewide standard procedure that is available to screen shared housing participants. Similar laws already exist to allow for background checks of child care providers, school bus drivers, and security guards--but not shared housing applicants. It is now only logical to extend this provision to protect seniors in their own homes. These checks will give referral agencies the ability to protect their clients from abuse and threats by known criminals. The International Union of Police Associations and local police departments have endorsed this amendment. The FBI, Agency on Aging, and the Southern California Shared Housing Coalition have all endorsed the fundamental concepts behind the amendment, and agree that fighting elder abuse is an important cause. With the ever-expanding Baby Boom Generation and their growing need for long term care, we must begin addressing the safety of their care. It is essential to pass federal legislation in order to give these shared housing agencies access to FBI criminal background reports. I have worked closely with the FBI on this legislation to ensure that the technical language protects all privacy rights and investigative standards. The potential for abuse in shared housing arrangements is preventable. This amendment gives shared housing agencies an important tool to protect the elderly from scam artists and criminals, and at no cost to the federal government. This legislation is simple, yet it could save the life and fortunes of our elderly. I urge my colleagues to join me in attacking crime without spending taxpayer dollars. It is our responsibility to give the American people the tools to do so. Although we will not have the opportunity to debate this issue today, I look forward to working with my colleagues to address this very important matter.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleague brought up two of the issues that are most important and dearest to my heart. The gentleman started by talking about Head Start. As most people here in the Congress know, I got my start in 1965 in the first year that Head Start existed when I was a child in that program. So I am proud to be the Head Start child of Congress. I get very worried because I see an administration, the Clinton-Gore administration, that has proposed $1 billion of more, more funding for Head Start, getting our kids prepared so that when they start at the starting line of the competition, at kindergarten, they are all equal when they get there, so they are not behind the starting line. The President and the Vice President have proposed $1 billion worth of more Head Start. In my county, in Orange County, only about one- third of the children who actually qualify for Head Start are funded, so I am really looking forward to that. Then I take a look at Governor Bush's proposal on funding for education, his Federal education proposal. I see that he has no funds for Head Start. I think, well, why is that? Then I look at his tax cut plan and I know why, because where he is cutting is essentially that program which I think made such an impact in my life and which has made an impact on so many children's lives. And then of course the whole issue of school construction. As the gentleman knows, since I have been here, I have been carrying a bill on school construction, trying to get more schools built, because in California we did for 2 or 3 years now, as our colleague who used to be in the House in California, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Napolitano) noted, we did lower the amount of kids per teacher in California down to 20 to one in the first, second, and third grade level in California. Everywhere I go, and I have visited probably 130 schools in my district alone, first grade teachers tell me that the biggest difference they have seen is the lower amount of kids. Kids in kindergarten and first grade are reading now at a third grade level in some of my schools, and they attribute it to being able to have a smaller amount of kids and be able to teach them one on one. And then they add, you know, we need more schools, school classes. We need more places. We have parents who come and volunteer, but we do not have a class where they can come in and work on the projects for the school, for the children. This whole issue of school construction becomes so important, not just from a technology and modernization standpoint but from a room perspective, a place to grow our children.

Ms. SANCHEZ. Or any of the other 92 languages I have in Orange County, where children come from a home that speaks something other than English. I am glad the gentleman brought that up, because this whole idea of what we do about another language is very troubling for some people across the United States, especially those who have not been in a classroom recently and have not seen what is going on. I guess a lot of us do not have the historical perspective of why bilingual education became such an important part to those communities that came with a different language to school in large numbers. The California experience speaks for itself. Earlier in the history of California, before I got to school but not that much before, if you spoke Spanish and you got to the classroom, and you had 18 kids who spoke English and you had two who spoke Spanish, there was no accommodation for them. Therefore, if you were not at that grade level, the first time maybe you were held back, but the second time you were probably diagnosed as mentally retarded. People were actually labeled that. Then they were put in a class of mentally retarded people. So that is the historical perspective of how we began, and we fought for having a second language like Spanish used in the classroom to get our students up to level and to get them transitioned over to English. I think a lot of times the American public does not know historically what happened with that situation, but today there are so many people coming, so many students coming with different language backgrounds that this whole idea of immersion and learning the two is actually a great concept, and one that I have seen work over and over in the classroom. I will just end by saying that I look at education, sitting on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, quite a bit back in my district in California, which as Members know, is a bellwether State for supposedly what will be the future of the United States. I am always interested to see what happens between the States and where a person's perspective is coming from. When we do the testing, for example, in California of our students, we do those also that have a hardship with the language. Our tests tend to be lower because of that. I have heard that, in Texas, while Governor Bush has been touting such great scores, that, in fact, it is because they eliminate a lot of these children and either classify them as special education and keep them out of the actual test scores that are reported. I wanted to get a comment from the gentleman from Texas on that since he is, in particular, from an area, San Antonio, where I have heard that, in just a year, there used to be 35 percent of students in a particular school who were special ed students, and, in the next year, because of these tests, almost 62 percent of them were now special ed and were kept out of this whole series of how one tests the children. Can the gentleman from Texas comment to that?

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time that he has yielded to me. I really am grateful that the gentleman is talking tonight about the state of education and I think there are a lot of things, with the gentleman's background, that he could tell us about in Texas, the Texas experience. In particular, we are looking at a presidential election coming up, and the gentleman's governor, the governor of the gentleman's State, is on the Republican side. I know what the Republicans have not done with respect to education here in the House of Representatives. So I am interested, because I have heard so many things about what is coming out of Texas. I think the gentleman is a great person to talk about that tonight. There are certain things that we know. We know that the type of child that enters the school system, it is important that they are healthy. We know that it is important that they come to school and they are ready to learn; i.e., they are not thinking about being hungry; third, that when they come to kindergarten, they do best when they have already gone through a preschool program or a Head Start program. I would be very interested to find out from the gentleman what his feelings are with respect to the readiness of children who go in Texas under the gentleman's Governor. For example, I know that in California, one of the biggest things that we did in the last couple of years was to match the Federal funds in order to put in an insurance program for health for our children in California. Those were children of working parents. That is beginning to make a difference, because now we have children who have access to health care, so they are healthy when they are starting out in the program. Secondly, of course, we know a few years ago the Republicans in this House tried to eliminate the lunch program that we have in the schools. I just remember reading in the paper about Governor George Bush, and how he said that there were no hungry people in the State of Texas, when in fact his State is the number two State in the Nation with children who go to bed without food in their bellies. So I am interested to find out what has been going on in Texas, if the gentleman can tell us.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Edwards Life Sciences as they begin operating as a new, independent publicly traded company. From the company's very beginning in the garage/laboratory of its founder, Miles ``Lowell'' Edwards, the name Edwards has been renowned for cardiovascular devices which have literally saved thousands of lives. In essence, the name Edwards is synonymous with ``miracle'' for over the past 40 years, as many lives have been saved due to the ingenious of Lowell Edwards. When Edwards retired in Santa Ana, CA, he began to think of ways to invent an artificial heart. With his electrical engineering background, Edwards had already invented many devices, including the furl booster pump which was used by the U.S. Government in World War II. An artificial heart was foremost on his mind most of his life. His own heart had been damaged by rheumatic fever when he was thirteen. He had long sought to discover a mechanism to give people a new heart--and a new life. Edwards believed that an artificial heart could be created and that it would work. Although skeptical at first, a young Dr. Albert Starr at the University of Oregon Medical School, suggested that he first invent an artificial heart valve. Edwards did invent a value and it was successfully implanted on September 21, 1960. When Edwards remarked that ``. . . making that valve was the luckiest think!'', he didn't realize the enormous implications of that statement. Today, Edwards Life sciences employs over 1,600 dedicated men and women in Irvine, CA, and 6,000 worldwide. Edwards is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing medical devices and pharmaceuticals to treat late-stage cardiovascular disease. In recognition of over 40 years of scientific and medical advances, the founder's name is now honored in the new street name--``One Edwards Way.'' From inventor to creator of the first biotech company in southern California, Miles ``Lowell'' Edwards' legacy is now instilled into the hearts of the men and women who are now charged with the responsibility to continue the commitment to serve mankind. I commend all of you today as you begin your journey as Edwards Life sciences.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to honor five outstanding women who recently completed internships on Capitol Hill. The students came to Washington, D.C. at their own expense through a first-of-its-kind program offered by Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. As our colleagues will surely agree, the best congressional internship programs and interns offer a unique window into the future. Every year, Congress offers thousands of students a brief time to look through this window--the chance to explore and examine this legislative world of ours, now 212 years old. Fortunately for those of us who serve in this Chamber, they're not the only beneficiaries. We learn a thing or two ourselves. This was most definitely the case with the Flinders program. Australia and the United States are close cousins in many, many ways. But despite all that our respective histories and the connectivity of Internet Age have to offer, we remain separated by a great physical distance that cannot change. It's a mere 8,000 miles from my district to Adelaide--and it most definitely was a great privilege for Congress to host five young ambassadors and bridge this distance for however brief a time. This is what Louise King did in the office of Senator Charles Schumer, Sunshine Elmore contributed to my California colleague Juanita Millender-McDonald, Kerrie Daniel brought to Louise Slaughter, and Narelle Hards added to the Democratic staff of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Of course, the greatest pleasure I have is singling out Estee Fiebiger for her contributions to me and my office. Estee had a great enthusiasm and propensity for politics, especially foreign policy. She played an essential role in drafting analytical reports and helping me initiate a detailed analysis of the Human Rights situation in Vietnam. Estee's eagerness to learn and to experience all aspects of American politics highlights her achievements and her potential for continued success. Along with her excellent research, linguistic, and writing abilities, Estee's pleasant personality was accompanied with great skill and intelligence. Very simply, she was a delight to have in the office. The duration of the program--6 weeks--was not nearly enough. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope this modest, unbureaucratic program will inspire other Australian and American institutions to establish similar exchanges, for both students and professionals. To improve understanding of our processes, our politics and of our multicultural peoples to the finest degrees, we need to connect people with people in person. This will never change. As I'm sure my colleagues who participated in the Flinders program will attest, it was a pleasure to work with interns who are teachers as much as they are students. I know their families, friends, and communities are very proud of their daring to be such pioneers. On February 21st, the Roll Call newspaper published a wonderful account of the experiences of these women. I submit the article to be included in the Congressional Record--and in so doing wish Estee, Louise, Narelle, Sunshine and Kerrie every continued success. [From Roll Call Around the Hill, Feb. 21, 2000] Interns From Down Under (By Edith Chan) Congress isn't very down and dirty--at least in the eyes of a group of interns from Down Under. Five students from Australia who just wrapped up internships on Capitol Hill say Congress is actually much less partisan than their own country's parliament. ``In Australia, it can get a lot worse,'' said Sunshine Elmore, one of the students who came to Washington through a first-of-its kind program offered by Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. Eric Federing, a former Democratic Hill aide who helped found the program, noted that crossing party lines in Australia often proves to be politically damaging. ``The rigor of party politics is much stronger in Australia than in the United States,'' said Federing, who is now director of business public policy at accounting giant KPMG. ``If a Member crossed party lines [on a vote], it is strongly, strongly frowned upon.'' Federing, who most recently worked as press secretary for Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), decided to start the internship program after traveling extensively through Australia. ``The experience is fantastic--it is beyond my own expectations,'' he said of the program's first year. ``My only regret is that we could not bring more students over.'' The interns left town last week after spending six weeks in the offices of various Democratic Members, including Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.). ``The staff has been really encouraging, and they have been really inspiring in helping us participate in a lot of things,'' said Elmore, who interned in the office of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.). The students came to Washington in early January. In interviews before leaving town, the students said their perception of America--and Americans--has dramatically changed. ``There were a lot of ideas about America, and lots of surprises too,'' said Narelle Hards, who worked for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The students were especially excited about being able to watch the Super Bowl live, instead of at 3 a.m. However, they had to watch the Australia Open tennis tournament, normally on during prime time in their home country, at 3 a.m. instead. They were also impressed with the way Congressional aides comported themselves. ``I really admire the staff,'' said Louise Kings, who worked for Schumer. ``They are loyal and they work really hard.'' Student Kerrie Daniel recalled that the most memorable moment during her internship came when she got to meet President Clinton earlier this month during a press event. She remembers jumping across the chairs--and getting a small bruise in the process--to shake the the President's hand. ``It was amazing to see an important figure in person rather than on TV,'' said Daniel, who worked for Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.). ``The President is a fantastic speaker.'' After spending six weeks on the Hill, Hards said the person she most admires is Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Transportation Committee. Hards said she was impressed by her boss's knowledge and recalled one instance when he suddenly went from Speaking English to French in the same sentence. Their internships also helped to break the cultural barriers and stereotypes between Australians and their American colleagues. ``The idea Australians get is that Americans are very USA- centered,'' said Daniel. ``But I think that they are very interested in knowing about other places, about other things in the world.'' And as Daniel found out, there is one thing that is constantly on Americans' minds. ``Americans are eager to find out about Australians. Everyone wants to know more about the Olympics,'' she said. Besides admiring the doggedness of many Hill staffers, the interns from Australia are also encouraged by the large number of women working in the federal government. Estee Fiebiger noted the scarcity of women working in the Australian government, and said the dominating presence of female leaders in Congress has inspired her to brave the grounds of foreign affairs--a traditionally male-dominated field. ``Here, no one puts a damper on us because we are women and we are from Australia,'' said Fiebiger, who interned for Sanchez. ``Instead, everyone was curious and was very willing to help us. Instead of putting a damper on us, it made us more enthusiastic.'' In addition to the legislative workload, the students managed to squeeze in a lot of sightseeing around D.C. Their most interesting day, as Elmore recounted, was building a snowman ``in the middle of the blizzard.'' Their favorite activities outside of work included museum- hopping. ``We thought the Smithsonian was one museum,'' Elmore said, adding that six weeks was not long enough to see and do everything they wanted in Washington. The students are heading back to Australia to complete their final year at Flinders, where they are all majoring in American studies, and said they can't wait to plan their next visit to the United States. The only flaw the students saw in their program was that their stay was too short. ``I wish that the internship was longer,'' Daniel said. ``We're leaving just as things were starting to get going.''

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I proudly recognize a wonderful citizen and community member from my Congressional District in California. Alice Rumbaugh will be recognized this weekend by the Sister City Association of Garden Grove. This is a local grassroots, citizen-directed effort to promote international understanding and build bridges between communities. The association carries on a relationship with Garden Grove's sister city, Anyang, South Korea. In a city that is home to so many Korean Americans, the association is to be commended for its work. And it is clear why Alice Rumbaugh was chosen for this honor. Alice is a master teacher who has proved her dedication to teaching our children to appreciate Hispanic culture. She was key to the establishment of the Spanish culture program at Pacific High School, a program that now travels throughout the district. Alice's colleagues, and all our city students, are fortunate to have the opportunity to take advantage of these resources and of Ms. Rumbaugh's tireless work. She is an award-winning educator, a master educator who has never given up in her efforts to inspire and empower her students. She is also known for her work as a mentor and a peer leader among her colleagues. Ms. Rumbaugh has been honored repeatedly for her innovation and excellence in her field. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Alice for her work. I am proud to honor her in Congress today.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I proudly honor a wonderful citizen and community member from my Congressional District in California. My friend Pat Halberstadt will be recognized this weekend by the Sister City Association of Garden Grove. This is a local grassroots, citizen-directed effort to promote international understanding and build bridges between communities. The association carries on a relationship with Garden Grove's sister city, Anyang, South Korea. In a city that is home to so many Korean Americans, the association is to be commended for its work. Pat Halberstadt is known for her work with the Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove. In fact, I think it's fair to say that without Pat, there wouldn't be a Boys & Girls club there. Pat has lived in Garden Grove all her life--perhaps that's why she cares about our community so much. Her dedication knows no bounds and goes above and beyond the call of duty. Because of her work, we can provide a safe, high-quality source of activities and resources for our children and young people after school and for their families. Pat is also recognized for her expertise in her field, and has been asked to serve on numerous state, county and local boards. Mr. Speaker, we are so grateful to Pat for all she's given our community's kids, and I am proud to honor her in Congress today.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I proudly recognize a wonderful citizen and community member from my Congressional District in California. Taesoo ``Tom'' Kim will be recognized this weekend by the Sister City Association of Garden Grove. This is a local grassroots, citizen-directed effort to promote international understanding and build bridges between communities. The association carries on a relationship with Garden Grove's sister city, Anyang, South Korea. In a city that is home to so many Korean Americans, the association is to be commended for its work. Tom Kim has dedicated many, many years in service to our community. He is currently a member of the Advisory Council for Democratic Unification of Korea. His leadership and volunteerism have included terms as President of the Korean Chamber of Commerce of Orange County and many years as the chair of the Korean Festival of Orange County. Mr. Kim can also be thanked for his work to found the first Korean Festival of Orange County. He has served as the President of the Sister City Association, and his dedication to international understanding and the relation between our sister cities has always been clear. He proudly served as the liaison between Garden Grove and Anyang, Korea in order to form the sister city relationship we are so proud of today. His service on the board of the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce and the city Parks and Recreation Commission tell us what we already know, that Tom is a true leader and a friend to Garden Grove. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Tom for all he's given, and I am proud to honor him in Congress today.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of my distinguished colleague's budget proposal which will provide prescription drug coverage and better access to the Department of Defense health system for Medicare-eligible military retirees. This legislation upholds the obligation; and yes, we do have an obligation to those who have served. In Orange County alone, we have over 100,000 military retirees, and we need to provide these Americans the access to health care they deserve. It is time to do it, and this bill does it. Fortunately, our society has been blessed with many leaders who imparted the values of leadership, responsibility, and loyalty while wearing the uniform of this country. For without their dedication to duty, we would not enjoy the many freedoms that America has to offer. Congress should keep the promises made to these brave men and women. We should vote yes on the Spratt substitute.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. I would agree with my colleague. I guess I will just end with the old adage. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is probably not true. The Republicans have offered an enormous tax cut. Granted not as enormous as the guy who is running for President that is a Republican, but it is enormous. They have promised to do the prescription drug benefits. They have promised to build defense up. They have promised that education is important to them and they are going to do something about it. Promise after promise after promise. You cannot do it all and get there. They have promised to help make Social Security safe for the next 60 years. You cannot do all of these all at once and offer the type of tax cut that they want to do. But politically, they think that you are going to believe all of that. So the reality is what do we choose to do? Let us bring down the debt. Let us give some tax cuts. Let us invest. And let us reward people for doing that. And let us make sure that our veterans are taken care of, that some schools are built for our children, and that we invest in education for our kids. I think that the Blue Dog budget reflects those priorities.

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it is really a pleasure, actually, to be a member of the Blue Dogs. I know that there are quite a few people across the United States that have not really found out about our group here in the Congress on the Democratic side. But the reality is that one of the reasons I really enjoy being a part of this group is because I do have a financial background, having a degree in economics and an MBA in finance and having been in the financial industry for 14 years before I got to this Congress. It is always important to me to apply the financial rules that I know that I use in my daily life or that I would expect somebody coming through the front door and asking for a loan to apply. And first and foremost of that, of course, is, What is your liability situation? What are your assets? What is the income that you are earning or what you think you are going to have as far as money coming in on a monthly or annual basis? And it should not be any different for what we do here in Congress. First and foremost, when we have the good times, as my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre) said, when the sun shines, we need to think about what we do with this extra money that is coming in. Most families, most businesses, a lot of us pay down the liabilities that we have, we pay down our debt. If we have gotten into tough financial times and we have had to go to the bank or we have had to put a second mortgage on our home, and then if it gets worse, we go and we use the credit cards we get through the mail, sometimes a little too easily these days, but we go and we get the credit where we can get it. And every time, I am sure most families think they are going to get the credit at the least amount and then, as they need more, they get more and more credit at a higher rate. This is what we did during that 1980's time period. We increased the debt to pay several programs that we had ongoing, without the money coming in to pay for those programs. Now we are in the reverse. Now we have a good economy. We have a strong economy. But it is not going to last forever. So what do they do when they finally have that good job where they are getting the extra money? First they pay down the credit cards. Then they take the second mortgage off of their home. They pay back their family the money they borrowed. And maybe they keep a little bit of debt. But they certainly do not keep all of that debt, because there will be at some point some sort of a downturn and they have to prepare for that. Sometimes we forget about that when we are in the good times. We have had 7\1/2\ years of really good times in the United States. And I, as a lawmaker, want to see all the people in my district and as many Americans continue that. But things do change, and we all know that. Today we have a prime example of that. When I was younger and first driving my first car, I remember standing in lines of 50 cars waiting to try to get some gas into my car the last time we had a real oil crisis. At that time we paid almost anything just as long as we could get that gas in our cars to run it. While we were going through that, we said to ourselves as a Nation, as a people, we said, ``Never again. We're never going to let this happen again to us. We're going to drive more efficient cars. We're going to find alternative fuels.'' As the good times came, we began to forget that. Today, about 15 or 20 years later, here we sit again and guess what? The prices of gas are going up. I sit there and I think to myself, maybe we will have a recurrence of this. So we have to remember things go in cycles. We are in the good part of the cycle. We need to take that money and we need to pay down the debt. The Blue Dog budget does that. It says, ``Let's take care of the first thing first.'' It also says we are not afraid of tax cuts. We realize that we can give tax cuts to people, tax cuts that are important if you are investing in a business, if you are investing in research, let us allow American businesses and people to do that. If you are investing in yourself, if you are investing in your children by getting an education, let us help Americans decide that that is the right thing to do. If we want to invest in our schools and new school construction like we all run around and say, then let us give tax credits so communities will step up to the plate and do what is right and build that new classroom or build that new high school that they need. Our budget allows Americans to do that. It also allows us to work on the programs that need to be worked on, like Social Security and Medicare.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to congratulate the Orange County Spikers Seniors Volleyball Team for winning the bronze medal at the U.S. National Senior Olympics in Orlando, Florida. The Spikers were the only 55 and older team representing the State of California to be invited to participate in this event. I commend them for all of their hard work and dedication. This team was formed two years ago, and has since won every Southern California Senior Olympics Tournament in Orange County, San Diego, Palm Springs, and Los Angles. Their valiant performance serves as a wonderful example for exercising seniors. As an avid sports fan, I appreciate hearing the exciting news and cannot wait to learn of future Spikers' successes and achievements. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge each team player. The Spikers' roster includes manager, Harold Shiffer; coach Jim Godfrey; and players Gale Kinell, Allen Brown, Vladimir Von Rauner, Neale Davis, Al Barta and Ruben Hernandez. Please join me in extending my sincere congratulations to the Orange County Spikers. These hard-working individuals have brought pride to their community and they deserve our praise for their perseverance and commitment.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 34 on March 9, 2000, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5, legislation to repeal the earnings test for Social Security for the ages 65 through 69. It is time to get rid of this penalty, and I am glad that we are finally debating this issue. The earnings limit originated in the 1930s, but today people remain healthy and vigorous longer than they did then; and it makes sense to repeal this obsolete and punitive limit. It makes no sense to penalize seniors, some who still have to work in the workplace, some who want to contribute their skills to the workplace, especially in a time when businesses are finding it difficult to recruit enough qualified workers to fill the jobs that remain vacant. The current system is a disincentive for seniors to continue to work, and it needs to be changed. And this legislation is long overdue. But there are a lot of other things we also need to work on. We need to help retirees by using the surplus to extend Social Security and Medicare, to provide a prescription drug plan for all seniors, and to lift the limit on outside income for beneficiaries of Social Security. I have supported raising the limit in the past, and I support repealing it today.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions of Manuel Esqueda, a man who has devoted much of his life serving the community of Orange County. A survivor of the USS Princeton, he returned a Second World War veteran to his home in Santa Ana. An employee of Bank of America since 1946, he served the institution for 32 years, while retiring as bank manager in 1978. Manuel is a perfect example of how one man can make a difference. He has taken the initiative to provide 1,078 students with scholarship awards under the banners of the Gemini Club, Time and Time Again, and Serafines de Orange County/California Angels. Mr. Esqueda is a positive role model for the surrounding community and a mentor of our youth. He has brought experience, dedication and a passion to comfort those who are so much in need. The contributions and the lasting legacy that he will leave behind is a testament of his hard work of which we are all so proud of. I urge my colleagues to please join with me today as we honor Mr. Manuel Esqueda, a caring man who is committed to his profession and to the betterment of our community.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding physician, Dr. Aliza Lifshitz. Many know her as Doctor Aliza, a doctor who has spent the past two decades working in the Latino communities in Los Angeles and across the country, to improve the health of Latino citizens. Dr. Lifshitz grew up in Mexico, the daughter of a Russian immigrant father and New York-born mother. Dr. Lifshitz attended the prestigious Universidad Autonoma de Mexico. She also studied at Tulane University and at UC San Diego. During her medical career, Dr. Lifshitz has become known as a primary source of health information to the Latino community. She reports on Primer Impacto, the highest-rated Spanish language news magazine television series on the air. She is also the health columnist for La Opinion, the largest Spanish-language daily newspaper in America. Dr. Lifshitz' most recent accomplishment is a book, ``Mama Sana, Bebe Sano--Healthy Mother, Healthy Baby,'' a pregnancy guide written in Spanish and English. The bilingual book is the first published that addresses pregnancy and infant care simultaneously in the same book. Dr. Lifshitz' stellar career is a testament to dedication. She has concentrated her efforts in administering care to the under-served segment of the population--the indigent, teens in crisis, the elderly and the many who have fallen between the cracks of our society. She has also become a role model for millions of young women striving to better themselves and the world they live in. Throughout her career, Dr. Lifshitz has shared her considerable talent and gift of healing with everyone. Her role is not only as a physician, but as a ``friend.'' Colleagues, please join with me today as we honor Dr. Lifshitz, a caring physician who is committed to her profession and to the well- being of those in her care.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Reverend Canon Charles W. Sacquety on his retirement from the ministry of the Episcopal Church. Reverend Charles was born in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan where he received a Bachelors of Arts degree and a Masters of Arts degree in Music. After teaching music in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, he served in the United States Army for two years where he was stationed in the Canal Zone, Panama. Upon returning from his tour of duty, Reverend Charles attended the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. Upon completing his theology courses, Reverend Charles was ordained as a deacon and priest in the Diocese of Michigan. He served two congregations before being called to St. Mark's Parish in Glendale, California. Reverend Charles then moved to Germany where he served as Rector of the Parish Church of Christ the King in Frankfurt. After six and a half years, Reverend Charles was again called to California where he became the Rector of St. Wilfrid's in July of 1978. Reverend Charles brought so many gifts to St. Wilfrid's. He is best- known for his ebullient sense of humor and his ability to reach out to the members of the parish by listening to their needs. He has developed and implemented the plans for construction of the beautiful new church and community hall which now bears his name, Sacquety Hall. Reverend Charles was a friend to the members of the church. His sermons on Sundays touched the lives of all who attended with his inspirational wisdom and his eloquent words. After leaving St. Wilfrid's, Reverend Charles served as an Archdeacon for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Reverend Charles will receive an Honorary Doctorate degree of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, in Berkeley, California this year. Colleagues, please join me today as we recognize the Rev. Canon Charles W. Sacquety on his many years of ministry and the many contributions that he has made to the community and the Episcopal Church and to the parishioners who came to know him as a man of understanding and inspiration.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a great American, Dr. Robert H. Schuller. For 30 years, The Rev. Schuller has brought his message of hope and positive thinking to the world. The Hour of Power is now broadcast all over the world, on each and every continent, to over 30 million people in more than 200 countries. Dr. Schuller has preached in Russia and in a Damascus mosque. His show was the first ministry available to Christians in the Soviet Union in 1989. But my friend the Rev. Schuller will tell you that his future was not so certain once upon a time. In 1955 he was preaching at a drive-in theater. He once doubted whether there was enough support for his program. But like he constantly reminds me, ``God loves you,'' He loves the Reverend too. And Dr. Schuller found himself blessed with the generosity he needed to begin his ministry. On September 14, 1980, Dr. Schuller dedicated the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove--located in my Congressional District in Orange County, California--to the glory of man for the greater glory of God. It is now home to the worldwide Crystal Cathedral Ministries, and hosts a congregation more than 10,000 members strong as well as the Hour of Power. The Rev. Schuller's faith saw him through those early years, and our community is not only stronger and better for it, but also closer to God. I salute Dr. Schuller today in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Hour of Power.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate this years national men's community college soccer champions, the Dons of Santa Ana Community College. After finishing the season with a 25-0 record and outscoring their opponents 147 goals to 17 goals, the team has proven its soccer dominance throughout the State of California. Coach Justo P. Frutos should be commended for leading his team to a victorious season. Over the past 2 years, the Dons have achieved what no other community college soccer team in California has accomplished, compiling an incredible 50-game unbeaten streak, including 47 straight wins and back-to-back state titles. I am proud to say that many of the team's players also received individual honors. Forward Thomas Serna was named the conference Most Valuable Player and selected All-American for the second straight season. Also, by virtue of the team's State championship, each player received the coveted honor of All-American. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge each team player. The Dons' roster included: Sasha Addeo, Andres Arroyo, Jose Barillas, Jose Barron, Keith Buckley, Martin Carrington, Robert Corona, Arnulfo Garcia, Luis Gutierrez, Alejandro Licea, Victor Licea, Carlos Rangel, Jose Retiz, Oscar Retiz, Fernando Rica, Fernando Rojas, Thomas Serna, Ruben Veliz, Sergio Viera, and Randy Zepeda. Once again, I congratulate the Santa Ana Community College Dons and their coaching staff. These hard-working individuals deserve our praise for their perseverance and discipline. We are very fortunate to have the Dons in Orange County.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 7, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor America's Catholic schools. It is fitting and appropriate that the Congress consider this legislation today. Our nation's Catholic schools are reputed not only for their academic excellence but also for their contributions to our communities. Catholic schools--and their faculty, staff, students and families--go above and beyond the call of duty. Children educated in our Catholic institutions benefit from moral and social development along with superior intellectual challenge. Millions of children attend thousands of Catholic schools every year in our nation. These schools boast diverse student bodies and exceptional success rates. Their graduates are not only skilled, but also devoted to their faith and community. Right in my own district in Central Orange County, California, Catholic schools teach our children not only the knowledge they will need to succeed in the classroom, but develop the character children will need to thrive in the world. In its 1972 pastoral message concerning Catholic education, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, ``Education is one of the most important ways by which the Church fulfills its commitment to the dignity of the person and building of community.'' The Catholic school system has made invaluable contributions to our nation. Today I congratulate Catholic schools for their success and their continued role in promoting and securing a bright, strong future for our nation.

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 6 on February 1, 2000, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Ms. SANCHEZ

Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 5 on February 1, 2000 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''