Loretta Sanchez

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I couldn't agree with you more. There are pockets of this. I just want to leave with one story. A few years ago, we had this one company who was a lensmaker kind of company. It was somebody who had retail stores, and you would go in and get your eyes checked. They would grind lenses and get glasses for you. Usually, they could do it in one stop, in 2 or 3 hours, et cetera. They said: Let's do this in your area, Loretta; let's hold a health care fair. We had a lot of different types of people offering services, and they said: For the first 400 people who show up, we will have ophthalmologists there--medical eye doctors--and we will take a look and see what is going on with people. If we need to grind lenses, we'll grind lenses for them and give them free glasses. Because even if you had a health care plan, most people didn't have vision or dental, so people were not buying glasses. They couldn't afford it. I got there at 7:30 in the morning to this health care fair. It started at 8. There were 600 people in line already, so we gave coupons for these people to be able to walk into one of those retail stores and get the service for free. We kept the first 400. One of the young ladies that worked with me stayed all day with one of the doctors, making sure the patients were coming in and out, giving him the things he needed, et cetera. At the end of the day, the doctor turned to her and said: Do you know that 80 percent of the people that we saw today had diabetes or were about to get diabetes? They didn't even know it because one of the first symptoms for diabetes is blurry vision, so these people were thinking they are getting old and their vision is kind of going, but the reality was they were sick. They didn't know it because they did not have health coverage, and, like I said, that is a disease that you can really get rid of or eliminate in your life if you work at it. These people need that knowledge. These people need that ability to walk into the doctor and to get their blood tested and to see what is going on, so that we can tell them: if you don't change what is going on in your life, you are going to be diabetic. By the way, the plans before, if you had diabetes and you had to have your leg chopped off, for example, we would pay for that. You see what I am saying? We wouldn't be paying to let them know you may be getting diabetes or you have diabetes; we would pay after the fact to chop off their legs. Or, if they went blind, we would have them at home because, now, they couldn't work. So it is going to make Americans healthier. When Americans are healthier, they will be more productive. They will have less sick days. It will be good for industry. So I am really thrilled to have voted for the ACA. I am really thrilled, 4 years-plus now, and that we are seeing it now, at the ground level, with people signed up for plans; and now, we have just got to make sure they go and use these, so that we can get them healthy.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, in March, we celebrate Women's History Month; a time to revere on the vital contributions women have made to American history. Today, 140 women for every 100 men will earn a degree in American colleges while still experiencing a pay of 81 cents for every dollar men make. In the health insurance market, women have often paid more and faced discrimination due to health status and gender. However, implementation of the ACA has provided the prospect of health coverage for up to 18.6 million previously uninsured women. In addition, there are more than 200,000 women in the military who serve on active duty. It is important to recognize their service, and honor them by providing them with the same opportunities as the men have in the military, along with an environment free from sexual assault. Women remain the unsung heroes of our society. While progress has been celebrated, it is critical to the future economic and social fabric of the nation to work towards creating a more equitable environment that harvests future generations of prosperous and thriving women.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of International Women's Day, March 8--recognized by the United Nations. Today, we celebrate the social, political, economic, cultural and intellectual achievements of women around the globe. The United Nations' theme for this year's international recognition-- ``Equality for women is progress for all''--emphasizes empowerment of women and women's full enjoyment of human rights and stresses the vital role of women as agents of change in our society. Today, courageous women like Bui Thi Minh Hang need our immediate attention. Two years ago on this occasion, I stood on the House floor recognizing and advocating for Ms. Hang, who was sentenced without trial for participating in peaceful protests related to the Eastern Sea. She was eventually released but face ongoing harassment from the Vietnamese authorities. Recently, Ms. Hang and her friends were brutally beaten and unlawfully detained while on their way to visit a former prisoner of conscience. It has been almost one month and Ms. Hang is still detained without any due process for ``obstructing traffic''. I am once again recognizing Ms. Hang for her ongoing efforts to for social and political issues in Vietnam. Ms. Hang has inspired many Vietnamese women, youth and fellow human rights activists. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in recognizing International Women's Day and women like Bui Thi Minh Hang who are advocating for freedom and democracy in their communities, and call on governments like Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Bui Thi Minh Hang and all prisoners of conscience.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true champion for education, Donald Will, who passed away this past February. Dr. Donald Will was a fervent advocate of peace and influenced Chapman University's role in promoting peace and the study of peacemaking. A member of the Chapman faculty since 1987, Don was described as a pillar of the Chapman community for over 25 years. He came to Chapman University when it needed his expertise most, and the world needed his peace expertise, and he has had such a magnificent effect that lasts until now. During his time with Chapman, Dr. Will put all of his heart and time from his academic and personal life into carrying out the pursuit of peace. And don't we need it today in our world? His commitment to his students and to the value of peaceful relations shone brightly through his teachings. He leaves a lasting legacy of humility, humanity, and dedication as he strengthened the link between school and home, both locally, nationally, and in an international way. I am honored to have known and to have worked with Dr. Donald Will, and I ask my colleagues to honor him today.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the success of California with the Affordable Care Act in bringing some of the highest enrollment numbers across this Nation. I am not surprised to see California leading the way; after all, we are the Golden State. However, there is so much work still to be done by the 31st of March, which is the deadline for enrolling people this year. And I am going to work very hard, along with my California colleagues. I have reached out to our Covered California executive director, Peter Lee, and asked him to make sure that we enroll every single eligible Californian. With only 8 weeks left for open enrollment, I am making it my top priority that every qualified resident of my 46th Congressional District is given the opportunity to enroll, and I strongly encourage all of my fellow colleagues to do the same. To make good on the promise of quality and affordable health care, it is not enough to educate. We must make sure everybody is enrolled.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3824 to end the Republicans' refusal to extend unemployment benefits that protect 238,855 workers in my home State of California.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my Republican colleagues to give stability to the American economy by restoring emergency unemployment insurance. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the Senate moved one step closer in extending unemployment benefits, and the House must do the same and act immediately. Less than 2 weeks ago, unemployment insurance payments were cut for 1.3 million Americans and will expire for a further 3.6 million this year. It is estimated 213,793 Californians have been affected by the cut, including over 14,000 individuals in Orange County. According to CBO estimates, our GDP would be boosted and employment would be increased by 200,000 jobs if unemployment benefits were to continue in 2014. Mr. Speaker, it is our job to make sure the economy recovers and we find a way to get people back to work. But we should not leave those trying to find a job without a lifeline. We must act now.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank both Adam Smith and my fellow Californian, Chairman Buck McKeon, for getting us to this point. It was very, very difficult. I know that on the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, Chairman Mike Turner, his leadership really led us to be able to get our work done. Our subcommittee looks at equipping our troops in particular, everything from body armor to what types of planes they fly in, how we transport them, et cetera. This NDAA, I believe, reflects the needs of the troops in the field and our high-priority acquisition programs, as reflected in the President's budget. It authorizes an additional $400 million for the National Guard and Reserve account and another $90 million for M1 Abrams tank upgrades for the Army National Guard. The bill includes $1.3 billion for the U.S. Marine Corps ground equipment, and we continue to support Global Hawk through 2014. One of the most important things that we do in our subcommittee is oversight of these very large acquisition programs. In particular, this year, we took a look at the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the body armor programs for our troops. How do we have the right body armor for men and women? How do we make sure we are upgrading and keeping it moving forward in a time when we are bringing back troops and we are getting out of two ground wars? And, of course, the F-35, our only protection plane for the next 20 years, which we share with some of our allies. So it is important to make sure that we get that cost down. These are the types of oversight that we have done. The bill also includes $746 million in targeted reductions to eliminate wasteful spending at the DOD. I wish to thank all of the staff who helped us on this bill: in particular, Doug Bush, John Wason, Jesse Tolleson, John Sullivan, and Tim McClees. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I thank the gentleman from Florida. Mr. Speaker, while not a perfect bill, I will be voting for it. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, better known as WRRDA. As a member of the California Delegation, I am particularly supportive of reauthorizing WRRDA, which is such a critical bill for our state. Although this bill was intended to be reauthorized every two years, it has been six years since the last Water Resources Development Act (WRRDA) was signed into law. After examining the provisions included in this legislation, I am encouraged by provisions like Section 124 which helps our state by requiring a comprehensive review of the Corps of Engineers' policy guidelines on vegetation management for levees. I am hopeful that this provision will help eliminate some of the challenges that local governments and flood control agencies face because of current vegetation removal policy. Additionally, provisions like the one outlined in Section 130 mandate that a report be issued on the practices, priorities, and authorized purposes at Corps of Engineers reservoirs in arid regions and their effect on water supply during times of drought. This is a good start to begin addressing the need and ability for local water agencies to be able to store more water in their dams for water replenishment. Although we do not have the ideal reauthorization bill of WRRDA in front of us, I believe this to be a good start to once again focus on the importance of water supply and management.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate not only Hispanic Heritage Month, but to celebrate the next generation of Hispanic leaders. I applaud the national PTA for naming September the Month of the Hispanic Child. With the Hispanic population totaling 53 million people in the U.S., Hispanic children and youth are the fastest growing population in America. By 2060, it is projected that Hispanics will be about 128 million people in the United States. In order to produce the next generation of leaders that are capable and equipped to work and to tackle our future challenges, we must invest in every Hispanic child. Education and equal opportunity are what will ensure that these students fulfill the American promise. I will continue to advocate for programs like Head Start and fight to make college more affordable for all children. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let us keep in mind that the younger generation will be our leaders of the future.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1911, the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act. Last month, I urged my colleagues in this House to take up and help our students because the interest rate was going to double on July 1. The Senate has already acted, and this week we have a chance to make things right. The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act will not only reverse the July 1 student loan interest rate hike, but it actually makes things better for our students. As students around the world are acquiring higher education, master's and training, it's imperative that our students here in this country also receive the opportunities to compete on a global scale. By making higher education more accessible, H.R. 1911 accomplishes that. When it is signed by President Obama, it will give $25 billion in debt relief over the next 6 years. It will give students the ability to lock in the interest rate for the life of their loan so they know exactly what they are going to be paying in interest, and it will save thousands of dollars and lower interest payments. I look forward to sending this bill to our President.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. John Lopez, a resident of my district who passed away on July 2, 2013. John was born and raised in Santa Ana, California. He went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree from University of California, Irvine and a Masters from the University of La Verne. One of his proudest affiliations was through the work he did with the American GI Forum, where John rose to serve as the California State Treasurer for the organization. John was also a member of the Latino Advocates for Education, where he worked on documenting the military service of Latino veterans. He also helped Anaheim Latino youth gain scholarships through his membership and participation in the LULAC Anaheim Council. A 26-year veteran of Northrop Grumman, John was a true patriot who carried out his duties with passion and integrity. John and his wife, Linda, founded the Hispanic Advisory Council to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County). Their efforts continue to impact the Hispanic youth that CASA serves. John Lopez was a true public servant to his community. While he will be greatly missed, his contributions will benefit future generations.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Honorable Paolo Costa, the Special Government Commissioner for the enlargement of the United States military installation at Del Din in Vicenza, Italy. Honorable Costa was appointed by the President of Italy as a Special Commissioner and was responsible for overseeing the Del Din project. The Del Din project resulted from a major U.S. Army restructuring plan that called for the relocation of two additional battalions from Germany to Italy by 2013. This expansion would increase troop levels from 2,400 to 4,200 soldiers in Italy. Unfortunately, this expansion was met with strong resistance from local leaders as well as the Italian population. Without the hard work and persistence of the Honorable Paola Costa, the Del Din project would not have succeeded, impacting the mission and also the service members of the United States military. For the last five years, Mr. Costa was able to work with various groups, protestors, students and local government officials ensuring the successful construction of the expansion ultimately providing housing for the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Mr. Costa understood the importance of this expansion to the U.S.-Italian long- term strategy. Despite the significant challenges, Mr. Costa stood firm in his vision and unwavering in his commitment to the U.S.-Italy alliance by bringing the Del Din project to reality. The Honorable Paola Costa's contributions are indispensable to the success of our Infantry, our Army and our Nation. I am extremely honored to recognize the Honorable Paola Costa and his tremendous accomplishments and commitment to the U.S.-Italy alliance.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to address the increase in student loans that is about to happen this week. If we do not do something by July 1, the interest rate on student loans, which has been at 3.4 percent, will double to 6.8 percent. Now, last year we were able to come together and make an accord and make it easier for our students to gulp and take those loans out so that they could go and get an education. Getting an education, teaching our young people science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the arts, music, et cetera, is of national security interest to this Nation. Even Secretary Gates said the number one issue is for our people to be educated. So we must show our students that we care about them, and that they too have a future in this Nation. I urge my colleagues to come together to do something about the student loans.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1864, introduced by me and my good friend and colleague, Mrs. Walorski from Indiana. H.R. 1864 amends title X of the United States Code: to require an inspector general investigation of allegations of retaliatory personnel actions taken in response to making protected communications regarding sexual assault. As the lead Democratic sponsor of this measure, I support the effort to protect military whistleblowers against reprisal for disclosing violations of law, for sexual assault and other prohibitive sexual misconduct. As such, I am pleased that this bill was also put into the National Defense Authorization Act just about 10 days ago on this House floor. People have asked me: Why are you bringing this up as a stand-alone bill? My answer is that, last year, we finished and approved and got the NDAA signed on the 31st of December. This bill really cannot wait. We need it today in the military because the biggest problem we have with respect to sexual assault is that the victims--the people who are being harassed and assaulted--are being retaliated against in the workplace. We do need this. There is no room for misbehavior of any kind, which may hinder the readiness, the morale, and the safety of our units. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the passage of this important language. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlelady from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), who has been working on this issue quite hard.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the ranking member on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, the gentlelady from California (Mrs. Davis).

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I inquire as to how much time remains on this side.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time as I have no more speakers.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how many speakers are left on the other side?

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, the United States military is an institution comprised of men and women who have dedicated their lives to not only defending this country but also upholding the values of this Nation--the values of this Nation. The values of this Nation say that if you go into the workplace, you should be treated equally, you should be treated with respect. And when we have sexual harassment and sexual assault happening in the workplace, in particular in our military, and when we have someone report and say, Hey, this is happening, and then they are retaliated against either because coworkers are afraid to be around them or because higher-ups make an example of them in some way, we have to say enough is enough. I think the time to pass this bill is now, and I want to thank the gentlelady, the Hoosier across the way, for working in such a bipartisan manner to get this done. I know there are so many in the Congress who feel very strongly that the sooner we protect the workplace, the better off this Nation is. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw awareness to the impact of pancreatic cancer in the United States. My staff and I have had recent conversations with individuals from my district on the effects of pancreatic cancer on their lives and their loved ones. Last Congress, we came together to support the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act which provides the strategic direction and guidance needed to make true progress. These strategic plans are desperately needed in these types of cancers for which we have made so little progress. Pancreatic cancer is still the only major cancer with a five-year survival rate in the single digits at just 6 percent; there are still no early detection tools or life-saving treatments. The answers that could lead to changing the statistics for pancreatic cancer could lie in one of the grants currently under review at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). However, we may never realize the potential because cuts to the NCI's budget are resulting in good grants being thrown out with the trash. We cannot let this situation continue. I therefore urge my colleagues to support a permanent fix to sequestration and provide the resources needed to conquer these deadly cancers.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. I understand my colleague's concern with the shortfall in the Department's operations and maintenance accounts, but that's really a product of sequestration. What we are really talking about is innovation here. Innovation generally doesn't happen in the big companies. It happens in the small companies, the companies that are able to move quickly so that we get what we need. That's what the RIF program is about. This is not an earmark. In fact, just yesterday, the pre-notification for the fiscal year '13 process was released. It said: ``Any and all companies can put forward proposals.'' That's not an earmark. The RIF process contributes to cost savings to the services' training activities. In fact, the Navy added ``cost reduction'' as a critical focus area in the fiscal year '12 Rapid Innovation Fund broad agency announcement. Several of these selected RIF projects actually seek to reduce operations and maintenance costs to include the cost of training. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member. I rise in opposition to this amendment. Congress is of course outraged over the ongoing cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment occurring in our military. There's no one in this Chamber who doesn't believe that criminals should pay for such violent and atrocious crime, and so I understand why my good colleague on the other side would offer such an amendment. I'll say several things. First, I'm pretty much opposed to mandatory minimum sentences in general. But this base bill, the base bill that we're considering today, the committee requires the Department of Defense to provide a report on mandatory minimums and sentencing guidelines in order to make sure that such sentencing reforms will not discourage the victims from reporting. And in addition to that, in the base bill, if you are convicted of these crimes, you will be dishonorably discharged. So in order to avoid imposing laws that may harm victims, I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.