Hilda Solis

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, this bill has good intentions. We all support more cable competition. Greater competition will inevitably help to create jobs and lower consumer costs for all of us, but I urge caution if competition for the attractive parts of the towns come literally at the expense of everywhere else. What I am trying to say here is that when we talk about competition, and that is a word that is used very loosely, when we talk about competition, oftentimes we forget about what literally happens to the small towns, to the rural areas and to the low-income, underserved areas. That is what we are talking about tonight. As the world's leading economy, the U.S. must ensure the universal deployment of broadband networks. That means every community is not left behind. Just like the President says leave no child behind, leave no community like mine behind. Unfortunately, redlining, if you understand the terminology, the practice of companies cherry-picking which communities they will serve, continues, and in my opinion is a threat to our country and to our Nation because you should not be allowed to come into areas where you know you are going to make a profit and exclude those other areas that are in need of having support and sufficient infrastructure support. We have not done this, in my opinion, in H.R. 5252 which contains a provision that says that they will prevent redlining. It is weak and may prove ineffective, in my opinion. Over 30 civil rights organizations and consumer groups agree with this assessment. Our mayors, our cities, even in my hometown in Los Angeles the mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, has come out and said this is not the right thing to do. We are giving away so much that we should further discuss and debate this issue more thoroughly, and that has not been given to us. Our communities have felt the sting of being jumped over and left out when it comes to enhanced telecom and other services. This motion to recommit gives us one opportunity to ensure that broadband is deployed to every single community, whether it is rural, low-income, or an underserved minority community. The motion to recommit is simple. It establishes a phased-in, market- based buildout of services so that eventually cable operators become capable of serving all households in a franchise area. What I am talking about is that we know of instances in the State of Michigan, where our ranking member, Mr. Dingell, has a community, Inkster, which was excluded from buildout. They purposely went out around his area in Michigan and served the outer surrounding community. That community had a higher income. But when they looked at the little portion, the donut hole, they were low income and minority. That is what happened. There was no services provided there. My motion, Members, is simple. It establishes a phased-in, market- based buildout service so that eventually cable operators become capable of serving all households. That is what this bill should be doing and it doesn't. It extends the prohibition on discrimination based on income to include discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin. It also prohibits a cable operator from offering unequal service, upgrades, and repairs to any group of potential or current consumers. The motion, in my opinion, addresses numerous flaws in the bill that were outlined today by Ranking Member Dingell, Mr. Markey, and others today. It will correct the bill to ensure more competitive broadband alternatives in every neighborhood so all citizens can reap these benefits. I think that is what we are elected to do, to provide coverage for all our consumers. As the world's leading economy, the U.S. must ensure that universal deployment of competitive broadband networks, whether they live in east Los Angeles or the San Gabriel Valley or the Bronx, every American, every American should have the benefit of the latest digital and video technologies. Instead, the COPE Act, or the Cop-Out Act, in my opinion, I call it, repeals or weakens the bipartisan and time-honored laws that have helped to ensure that those who provide video services do not discriminate among neighborhoods based on income, race, geography or other factors. I would like to conclude by urging my colleagues to support the motion to recommit.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Ms. SOLIS. Yes.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise because the misguided Republican priorities are hurting the pocketbooks of America's working families. Consumer inflation has risen at a rate of 3.2 percent in just the past 3 months, well above what the Federal Reserve is comfortable with. Gas prices continue to rise over $3.50 in my district and more. Yet, Republicans have prioritized legislation to benefit wealthy oil companies. These legislative priorities tie the hands of our States and risk public health, all to protect companies which can afford the give their executives $400 billion retirement packages. This administration and this body continue to delay real action to help working-class families. I believe that we should increase production of alternative fuels, rescind the billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, tax breaks, and royalty relief given to big oil and gas companies, and work toward making America energy independent by the year 2020. America's working families must be our priority, not oil and gas companies.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5242. This bill is another example of the Republican's misguided priorities. This legislation targets our states, communities, and environmental laws as the culprits for high gas prices. But we know the truth. The dirty little secret is that oil companies which made more than $110 billion in profits in 2005 and $16 billion in profits in the first three months of 2006 do not want to build new refineries. They do not want to spend the money! We learned from leaked corporate memos that the major companies--Chevron, Texaco and Mobil would go so far as to buy and shut down the competition in order to keep capacity tight. The Yuma refinery is just one example. Twice since the 1990s this proposed refinery received the necessary permits to be constructed and operated. But the Yuma refinery has not been constructed because it cannot find the financing. Bob Slaughter from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on May 11, 2006 that the proponents of this project have an ``air permit, but they're having trouble getting financing and actually getting that built.'' Just last week the Yuma Sun reported that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft renewal of the current air quality permit already held by ACF--a full 6 months before the existing permit is scheduled to expire. Proponents of this bill argue that states have been delaying permits. Arizona Clean Fuels disagreed and stated ``ADEQ has been very cooperative in working with us to make sure the project does proceed.'' And the Environmental Council of States has written that they are not aware of any credible report that our states are denying or lagging behind on permitting of new refineries and the expansion of existing refineries. Mr. Speaker, it is time that this body considers legislation based on facts and truths. The fact is that states are not delaying permitting and environmental laws are not to blame. I urge my colleagues to protect the authority of their states and the rights of all communities--vote against this flawed legislation.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise tonight to honor my mother, Juana Sequeira Solis, who celebrated her 80th birthday yesterday. My mom was born in Jinotega, Nicaragua, on June 5, 1928, to Ramon Sequeira Arauz and Lucia Diaz Moeller. As a young child, she faced many obstacles due to the death of her father Ramon. At the age of 17, she immigrated to the United States and resided for a time in New Orleans, LA. After a few years, she moved to Los Angeles, CA, where she met her husband Raul Sanchez Solis. They married in 1953, and had 7 children, which led to 10 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. While raising her children in La Puente, CA, she took classes to improve her English and culinary skills. In addition, she was active in the PTA at the schools attended by her children. When the youngest of her children turned 5, my mom began work at Mattel Inc. After 22 years of service, Juana retired from her job as an assembler. Although she had a double shift, working full-time and raising a large family along with her husband, she never regretted the sacrifices she made to maintain family cohesion, which has been a major driving force in her life. Throughout her life, my mom made every effort to instill strong values in her children, including a strong work ethic and the ability to overcome adversity. Her life demonstrates that people can rise above unfortunate circumstances and humble beginnings. She has proven this by her charity work with the elderly residents of her neighborhood and others in need. The abundance of compassion and love that she has to offer to others has been unrestricted throughout her life and she has modeled qualities that have been inculcated in everyone she comes in contact with. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my six siblings and our extended family, I rise today to send happy birthday wishes to our beloved mom, Juana Sequeira Solis. Feliz cumpleanos.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, Irv Willner, a life-long resident and community leader in the city of Monterey Park. Mr. Willner was a model of patriotism and his contributions to his community have inspired many, including myself. As a native of New York City and a celebrated veteran of the U.S. Navy, Mr. Willner earned his bachelors degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York City. He served in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as a mechanical engineer for 35 years of his life. Mr. Willner was a longtime Democratic Party leader, a pioneer member of the Monterey Park Environmental Commission, and a member of the city personnel board. With his leadership skills and enduring devotion, Mr. Willner has been credited with the successful elections of many local officials. His commitment to his community, justice, and progressive causes is commendable. I extend my admiration, and the gratitude of the City of Monterey Park and my district, to his family and friends. Mr. Willner truly made a difference in his community and his contributions will be recognized and appreciated for years to come. I send my condolences to his family, including wife, Mrs. Ruth Willner, children Paul Willner and Julia Parker, and granddaughter Erin. I am comforted only by knowing that his legacy will live on through his family and in the community he helped to improve for the future.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague from California, Mr. Berman, to pay tribute to Arturo S. Rodriguez, president of the United Farmworkers of America, a longtime advocate for the rights of workers and working families. Rodriguez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and earned a bachelor's degree from St. Mary's University in 1971 and a master's degree in social work in 1973 from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Rodriguez learned of the farmworker movement and Cesar Chavez in 1966 from his parish priest, and became active with the farm-worker movement as a college student. He first met Cesar Chavez in 1973, and soon after married Chavez' daughter, Linda. Throughout the 1970s, Rodriguez worked with United Farm Workers to push for farm worker rights, including the pioneering Agricultural Labor Relations Act, which passed the California State Legislature in 1975. Rodriguez helped organize union representation elections throughout California, from the Salinas Valley to the Imperial Valley on the Mexican border to Ventura County citrus orchards. By fall 1979, Rodriguez was directing a UFW lettuce boycott in Michigan. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Rodriguez was directly involved with renewed grape boycotts, involving pressure on business, a public fast by Chavez, and walkouts by grape workers to try and gain the first wage increase in 8 years. The UFW-supported 1992 grape worker walkout was a part of the largest vineyard demonstrations since 1973 in the Coachella and San Joaquin valleys. The UFW organized thousands of workers at dozens of ranches to participate in the walkouts. Those efforts produced an industry-wide pay raise. Rodriguez became UFW president in May 1993, shortly after Cesar Chavez' death. Rodriguez recruited 10,000 new farmworkers as associate union members in the year after he assumed the UFW presidency. On the first anniversary of the Chavez' passing, Rodriguez led a 343-mile Delano-to-Sacramento march retracing the steps of an historic trek by Chavez in 1966. Since then, the UFW has won over 20 union elections and signed over 20 new, or first-time, contracts with growers. Farm workers under most UFW contracts at mushroom, rose, citrus, strawberry, wine grape and vegetable companies enjoy decent pay, complete family medical care, job security, paid holidays and vacations, pensions and a host of other benefits. Unfortunately, the majority of farm workers in California and the rest of the nation still have none of these protections. Arturo Rodriguez continues to advocate for federal legislation that would allow undocumented farm workers and their family members to earn legal status by working in agriculture. Rodriguez lives at the UFW's national headquarters at La Paz in Keene, Calif. He has three children, Olivia, Julia and Arthur IV, plus two grandchildren, Isabella and Sofia. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring Artie for his commitment to farmworkers and their families throughout our Nation.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, to all those that are going to be celebrating this Memorial Day weekend, my special condolences go to the soldiers and their families that have given their lives so bravely and courageously. In fact, in my district in Los Angeles, 11 soldiers were killed, the first soldier being Francisco Martinez Flores, who is a green card soldier. He was not a full-fledged citizen, but he honored us by fighting for us and defending our freedom in Iraq. I found out later that his parents were not here legally. But through the work of some of the Members on our side of the aisle, we worked very diligently to secure citizenship for those serving in our country. Why could we not honor these soldiers beforehand, when they enter in and help to define who we are as a country? He was granted posthumous citizenship. When I read about that, I moved quickly to see how we could assure that no other soldier who came home in a coffin or a body bag would be given just that identification on their grave, that they be granted full citizenship, and that their families have every right to the same securities that any other citizen has in this country. Let's remember Francisco Flores and the 10 other soldiers that have given their lives, most of whom were Latinos from my district, proud Latinos, who carried their uniform and their bravery with them.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge my colleagues to provide greater funding for our Nation's veterans. More than 24 million veterans and their families have sacrificed for this country, yet the majority continues to underfund vital mental health and bereavement counseling. The growing numbers of minorities in the military and their families is especially important to note. One in 10 soldiers in the U.S. Army and one in seven marines are of Latino extraction, 7 percent of the U.S. Navy is Asian Pacific Islander, and 3 percent of the Navy and Marine Corps is Native American. But only 43 percent of the VA's staff is trained to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate programs, and only 24 percent of the facilities have translated materials into languages that are used by our servicemen and their families. I urge my colleagues to support a bill I introduced, H.R. 5007, to ensure that veterans and their families receive culturally and linguistically competent health care, especially those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. As we remember Memorial Day, we should not hinder but support our military veterans and their families. And I send my special condolences to the families of the 11 soldiers who died in Iraq from my district.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment sponsored by Congressman Miller. This amendment is based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of the study process incorporated in the legislation which I authored and which was signed into law on July 1, 2003 and would result in a change in the study design. The San Gabriel River Watershed Study Act was signed into law on July 1, 2003 after a lengthy effort to build consensus, an effort which included outreach to and coordination with all the members of the San Gabriel Valley delegation, including the Representatives of Diamond Bar, La Habra Industry, Chino Hills, and the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County in the community of Rowland Heights. As a result of this effort, the legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives with broad support. Congressman Radanovich noted in a letter to the editor on August 4, 2002, that ``the legislative process works best when those with differing views get together to resolve those differences and arrive at solutions that are responsible, workable and widely acceptable. That is what happened in this instance.'' I am proud of the iterative and compromising process by which this legislation was drafted and enacted. In fact, upon passage, Representative Pombo noted that this bill ``enjoys the broad support of both the majority and the minority, and I urge my colleagues to support it.'' During this process, the boundaries of the study were clearly defined. According to the legislative text, the Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a special resource study of the following areas: (1) the San Gabriel River and its tributaries north of and including the city of Sante Fe Springs, and (2) the San Gabriel Mountains within the territory of the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy--as defined in section 32603(c)(1)(C) of the State California Public Resource Code. This study was directed to be done in consultation with Federal, State and local governments, including the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy and other appropriate Federal, State and local governmental entities. These areas were chosen for their importance in the regional watershed. During consideration of this legislation, the Department of the Interior recognized the need for this study. It noted that: The watershed of the San Gabriel River contains important natural resources which are disappearing throughout Los Angeles County. Continuous greenbelt corridors provided by the river serve as habitat for breeding, feeding, resting or migration birds and mammals, which allows migration to take place through developed areas. The rugged terrain of the higher reaches of the watershed contains different vegetations including rock outcroppings and vegetation native to the Pacific Coast foothills. This area also has a rich cultural heritage which is evident by the large number of historically significant properties within the proposed study area. Among them is the Mission San Gabriel Archangel, founded in 1771 by the Spanish missionaries who were moving up the coast of California. The Department of Interior also noted that this study would have to examine a number of alternatives for protecting resources in the area. Specifically the Department of the Interior stated: Alternatives to federal management of resources are often considered in a special resource study for this type of area including national trail designations, national heritage area designations, and the provision of technical assistance to state and local governments for conservation of rivers, trails, natural areas, and cultural resources. A study of an area where land ownership and jurisdictional boundaries are as complex as they are in the San Gabriel River Watershed would likely emphasize public-private partnerships. This study provides a multitude of opportunities for public comment. The National Park Service has made accommodations to boundaries where these changes do not alter the intent of the study. In its final report to Congress, the National Park Service will make recommendations and include with those recommendations the comments provided by the local stakeholders. Additional legislative acts of Congress would be required before any recommendation could be implemented. This action would require local and Federal support. By design, no action could be implemented as a result of this study without consent. This study provides our communities with a very rare opportunity to develop a plan to bring and protect natural resources in our area for future generations. Many of the possible recommendations could result in additional monies being brought to the community, improved health for our children, and high property values at no loss of local control. I am proud that this process is a transparent one which provides all stakeholders an equal opportunity to participate in the process of developing recommendations for future consideration and commenting on particular land use needs. The National Park Service is committed to finding creative ways to help improve the community and I encourage everyone to think outside of what is perceived as the traditional Federal land management process. I believe the concerns represented by those in support of this amendment are unfounded based on the legislative record and encourage all stakeholders to work together to come to an agreement which preserves the intent of the authorizing legislation. I oppose this amendment because I believe the legislative record provides ample support for the inclusion of these areas and provides ample protections for local landowners, stakeholders, and other interested parties.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, this morning I rise to highlight how the Republican budget resolution will harm millions of women and children around the country. This budget makes it more difficult for young women to earn college degrees by cutting their financial aid. This budget continues to shortchange hundreds of thousands of children by freezing for the 5th year, the 5th year, the Child Care Development Block Grant. During the President's tenure, the number of children living in poverty has actually increased and not decreased. In addition, the Republican budget resolution cuts key health programs, veterans programs, and environmental programs. These cuts, as you know, will hurt our American families when they are feeling the pain the most, when they have to pay higher gas prices. All their bills are going up. Health care costs are out of bounds. H. Con. Res. 376 will actually increase the Nation's deficit, does nothing to balance the budget, and adds to the crushing national debt. I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic budget substitute and vote ``no'' on this immoral and irresponsible Republican budget resolution.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to America's energy policy, which takes from the working class Americans and rewards rich oil companies. Under President Bush's plan more than $20 billion has been waived in royalty fees and more than $5 billion in giveaways to big oil-producing corporations. Legislation considered by this body last week targeted our States and our communities as the culprits of high gas prices, rather than pointing a finger at oil companies who made more than $110 billion in profits in 2005 and $16 billion in the first 3 months of 2006. But we know better. Just yesterday, the Environmental Council of States stated that they were not aware of any credible report that our States are denying or lagging behind on permitting of new refineries and the expansion of existing refineries. Documentation to the contrary has not been presented to our committee, Energy and Commerce Committee. Rather than take on wealthy oil company executives, this administration and this body continue to delay real action to help working class families and small businesses. I hope that we can resolve this issue soon.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the Medicare part D plan, as written, in my opinion is bad for Latino seniors. Latinos are less likely to have worked at firms with employer-provided pension plans, tend to work at a lower-paying job resulting in less accumulated savings and smaller Social Security checks. And 62 percent have incomes below 150 percent of the Federal poverty level. Yet more than 1 million Latino seniors have not yet even enrolled in this program because of cultural, language and economic barriers. That is more than 30 percent of all eligible Latino seniors who lack coverage. The lack of detailed, easy-to-understand culturally competent information makes it even more difficult for community organizations to focus resources on this vulnerable population. Our Latino seniors and all seniors need our help. I urge my colleagues to pass legislation to extend the enrollment deadline, take away the fear of penalty, and give Medicare beneficiaries more time to check their facts, know their options, and make informed decisions about part D.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the goals of Cover the Uninsured Week. Nearly 46 million Americans, including more than 8 million children, are living without health insurance. More than one- third are Latinos, 20 percent are African Americans, and about 19 percent are Asian Pacific Islanders who lack any form of health care insurance. In California, one out of five uninsured is a child under the age of 18. Many current health proposals offered by Republicans will do more harm than help people living in districts like mine. Association health plans which ignore our State regulations are not working for families. Health saving accounts will do nothing to improve the well-being of our families in districts like mine. Instead, Congress should be taking action to ensure that no child has to skip needed health care examinations. We should ensure that working families never have to choose between going to see a doctor and putting food on the table. We must work to eliminate racial and ethnic health care disparities. Together, minorities comprise about 46 percent of the uninsured population. All these groups represent only 24 percent of the U.S. population. However, insurance coverage is an important predictor of whether individuals obtain health-promoting and life-extending services.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to this bill. The bill will not increase refinery capacity. It will not bring down the price of gasoline, and it will not ensure any ability of the United States to refine its own gasoline. The bill is based on a false premise. There is no evidence that refineries are being denied needed permits either for construction or expansion. In written testimony before the Senate, Chevron CEO stated, and I quote, ``we are not aware of any projects that have been directly prevented as a result of any specific Federal or State regulation.'' The truth is that refiners do not want to expand existing or construct new refineries. The dirty secret is they are not going to make any money off of that. The five largest oil companies reported a record $110 billion in profits in 2005, and three of the largest petroleum companies made more than $16 billion in the first quarter of 2006. Existing law already provides for new permitting assistance; 1 year ago, in fact, this body passed the Energy Policy Act. Title 3, subsection H, of the Energy Policy Act allowed States to seek additional assistance from the Federal Government for permitting when it was needed. Yet the legislation before us today repeals this provision and replaces it with less effective language. Last year Democrats brought a plan to this floor that would have set our Nation on the right course. It would have created a Strategic Refinery Reserve, giving the U.S. Government the ability to refine its own oil for use by military and first responders. The Strategic Refinery Reserve would have made that difference. But rather than solve the problem, we are here with a plan that will not increase refinery capacity, will not bring down the price of gas and will not ensure any ability of the United States to refine its own gasoline. I urge my colleagues to reject and give us the opportunity to take this action that will really make a difference for our constituents. And I would also like to make reference to letters that we will be submitting later from the State Air Quality Program administrators and various environmental organizations.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend my great thanks and honor to Congressman Lantos and Congressman Engel and also to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her support. Mr. Speaker, we are strongly in support of this resolution to support the families of women who have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez and in the city of Chihuahua in Mexico. I have always believed that attacks on women are attacks on women everywhere. This came to my attention some 4 years ago, and I was very proud to help lead a delegation for the first time, a House delegation to Ciudad Juarez, which is 5 minutes from our border, our frontier there. And what I found was a horrific, horrific problem, brutal murders of women, as was already stated by our colleagues. And to hear that over the past 13 years this had been allowed to continue without any involvement on the part of our government and Mexico, I felt compelled as a woman, as a Latina, as someone who felt very strongly that, if we are going to stand up for women's rights in other continents of the world and the Middle East to defend the Afghani women who are being tortured by the Taliban, why not then also come forward and support the women of Ciudad, Juarez? We know that there are well over 400 victims that have been brutally murdered; and recently just this past year we found that a young girl, 7 years old, was kidnapped, raped, and brutally murdered. Another girl just 10 years was raped, killed, and set on fire in her home. These children were taken away from us too soon, and the anguished families will never be the same. When I took a delegation to Ciudad Juarez, we had the opportunity, along with other members of the House, to meet with the families, to meet with the mothers of the victims, and what they asked for was nothing more than respect and acknowledgement and hopefully the force of our offices to get both sides, the Mexican government as well as the U.S. government, to come to an agreement to recognize that these atrocities must stop, to recognize the valor and respect of these families, and help to provide some closure; and through this resolution I hope that we can begin to do that. This poster here illustrates an area that we actually visited very close to a grave site where eight bodies were thrown. It was almost as though there was a message being sent to authorities in Mexico that this is how we treat people in Ciudad, Juarez, and very little regard for the value of human life. As you can see in the picture, we had several individuals that went with us to visit there. We had Congressman Reyes, we had at that time Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, Congressman Luis Gutierrez, and we also had a good friend of mine who is depicted in the photograph, Dolores Huerta, who joined me. But the value of that trip was to really meet and speak to the families, to speak to the mothers, to speak to the fathers who had recited their individual accounts of how they found their daughters and in what state they found their daughters or corpses. Yet we find today that we still have many remains that have not been identified, not because there is not a willingness to do it but because perhaps someone did not collect appropriate DNA information and tampered with perhaps evidence at the time so that you could not then retrace who was actually involved in these criminal atrocities. That, I hope, will come to an end with the passage of this resolution, that we can begin to work in all honesty to identify the remains that are still left unclaimed by the families and provide some resolution. I am very, very pleased that I had the support of our caucuses and outside community groups that helped to support us in this effort. It has been a long journey, and I want to personally thank various groups that helped us along this way. I want to thank in particular our committee staff, Paul Oostburg, for helping us, the Washington Office on Latin America, the Latin America Working Group, and Amnesty International, and many others across the country who helped us to lay out the foundation for the final passage of this legislation that I hope we will find later this afternoon. I would ask that the House join us in support of this resolution, and I look forward to seeing our friends and colleagues in the Senate also assist us with passage of their similar resolution that also outlines the same provisions in this resolution. Today I rise to voice my strong support for the families of women who have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City, Mexico. I have always believed that attacks of women anywhere are attacks on women everywhere. That is why three years ago I introduced House Concurrent Resolution 90, a resolution to raise awareness, express concern and propose a set of actions to address the murders and disappearances of young women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City, Mexico. I was horrified by the brutal murders of women just five minutes beyond our border. Over the past 12 years, more than 400 women have been brutally assaulted and murdered in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City, and few of the perpetrators of this violence have been prosecuted or even found. Women and young girls from all parts of Mexico moved to Ciudad Juarez in hopes of finding work, including jobs at American-owned maquiladoras. These jobs involve late hours, forcing women to travel home in the dark, alone, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Many of their bodies have been found in abandoned or desolate areas, showing signs of rape, torture and mutilation. These acts are more than just crimes; they are horrific violations of women's rights and human rights. Today, these crimes are not decreasing in frequency or brutality. As an example, in 2005, a 7 year-old girl was kidnapped, raped and brutally murdered. Another girl, just 10 years old, was raped, killed and set on fire in her own home. These children were taken from us too soon, and their anguished families will never be the same. While the men who murdered these particular children were caught, most of the victim's killers remain free and investigations of their cases have been minimal. In 2001, the so-called ``cotton field'' murder victims were discovered in a Ciudad Juarez cotton field. Eight women were found raped, mutilated, and killed. This case exemplifies the brutality of violence in Ciudad Juarez. Mexican officials tortured two men into confessing to the cotton field murders. Their convictions were later overturned. One of the men who was wrongly accused died in prison and the lawyers in the case were gunned down. And this horrific case remains unsolved. This pattern of torturing innocent men into confessing has touched the community I represent. In 2003, Neyra Cervantes disappeared near Chihuahua City, Mexico, and her cousin, David Mesa, lived in the Congressional District I represent. Mesa traveled to Juarez to help investigate his cousin's disappearance. He was incarcerated for criticizing the efforts of local authorities and allegedly tortured into confessing to the murder of his cousin. David is still in prison for the murder of his cousin--a murder he did not commit. We must end the violence against women in Ciudad Juarez and catch the real criminals who are murdering women, not make more victims by torturing innocent people into confessing. The women and families in Ciudad Juarez are living their daily lives in fear. We must bring more attention to these crimes and help end the violence. House Concurrent Resolution 90, the resolution we will vote on today, expresses concern about the continuing injustices that are killing young women and affecting American families in our border cities. This resolution urges the U.S. government to take action and commit to working with the Mexican government to end these tragedies. It is important that we, in Congress, continue to push the United States to work with Mexico to not only protect women in Juarez, but also to thoroughly investigate these crimes and bring an end to the murders. These atrocities have real affects on victims' families. In 2003 and 2004 I organized Congressional Delegation trips to Ciudad Juarez to meet with families of victims, Mexican government officials, and human rights groups. The mothers of victims and their families are suffering at the loss of their family members and continue to suffer because of inaction of the Mexican government. It was on these trips that my dedication to helping the women of Juarez was solidified. I would like to thank the Members of Congress and activists who have traveled to Ciudad Juarez with me, including Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Congressman Silvestre Reyes, our former colleague, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, and my friend, Dolores Huerta, cofounder of VFW. I have hosted briefings to educate others about this issue, sent letters to the State Department and President Bush and even to Mexico's President Vicente Fox urging action to end the murders of women and give peace to their families. Last year I was joined by Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, in securing $200,000 from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help fund a team of independent forensic experts from Argentina to work in Juarez identifying the unknown victims' remains and provide closure to their families. These murders have caused incredible pain for the families of victims, compounded by the lack of response from their police and local government. For the first time, families of the missing will receive dependable, legitimate identifications of their daughters. While changes have been made in local and state government and some answers are coming to light, we must continue to pressure Mexican authorities to investigate crimes and do more to end the violence. As we move forward, we must push for thorough investigations, so the families have closure and so the streets are safer for all women and children. We also need to ensure safer conditions for the women of Juarez, in their homes, communities and workplaces. We must remember that no matter where it takes place, on either side of our border, a murder of any woman is a terrible tragedy. As one, unified voice against violence and one, unified voice for justice, our strength is in our solidarity to find peace for the families of Juarez. Ni una mas! means ``Not one more!'' I would like to thank the 143 bipartisan cosponsors of House Concurrent Resolution 90. 1 would like to thank Chairman Hyde, Ranking Member Lantos, Subcommittee Chairman Burton, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Engel for their continued support as we work to bring peace to Ciudad Juarez. I would also like to thank Committee Staff Paul Oostburg for his assistance and advocates from organizations such as the Washington Office on Latin America, the Latin America Working Group and Amnesty International for their passion. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 90, and demonstrate our strong support for the families of victims in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. And I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the fight for women's rights, human rights and an end to the violence.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the contributions of an outstanding member of my community, Mrs. Blanche Felix. Mrs. Felix was born in Globe, Arizona, and has lived most of her life in Southern California. In 1946, Mrs. Felix moved to the San Gabriel Valley with her husband, where they have resided ever since, initially in South El Monte and later in El Monte. Throughout her life, Mrs. Felix has sought to improve her community and the lives of those around her. Her dedication to her community has been continuous and prodigious. Mrs. Felix has served as an active member, officer, and often president of numerous organizations including Youth Employment Services, Coordinating Council, Soroptomist International, El Monte Women's Club, Lions Club, El Monte Republican Women's Club, and the Parent and Teachers Association. She was a leader in the successful effort to incorporate the City of South El Monte, as well as a leader in the successful campaign to establish El Monte as the true end to the Santa Fe Trail. During the past 25 years, Mrs. Felix has served as a member of the El Monte City Parks and Recreation Commission, Property Maintenance Commission, and Personnel Commission. She has also advocated on behalf of small businesses to protect them from damages from groundwater contamination, securing relief for many small businesses. Mrs. Felix's commendable commitment to serving others has been expressed throughout her life not only through her work in the community, but also through her equally strong dedication to her family and friends. As a resident of El Monte myself, I wish to express my sincere respect and appreciation for Mrs. Felix's contributions to our community.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the departure of a key member of my staff, Anela Freeman. Anela is a Senior Field Representative/Grants Coordinator in my El Monte office who is leaving my staff this Friday to pursue graduate education. Anela is an only child and was raised by a single mother. She became one of the first members of her family to earn a college degree when she graduated from the University of Southern California in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. Anela was hired as a Staff Assistant in my El Monte office on April 20, 2003. Anela accepted her role with great responsibility and maturity. She quickly learned the importance of providing high quality constituent services and her efforts undoubtedly helped to improve the quality of life of residents in my district. Anela is a dedicated and capable individual. She is also a team player who has effectively established collaborative partnerships between my office and local community-based organizations. Through her efforts, I have been able to provide grant workshops, grant-writing seminars, and financial literacy forums for my constituents. Although my staff and I will miss Anela, I wish her much success and know that she will flourish in her career goals and all aspects of her life.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of my uncle, Lonnie Eugene Roark, who passed away on April 15, 2006 at the age of 84. Mr. Roark was born on February 11, 1922 in Missouri and grew up in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. He later moved to California and spent most of his life in the community of La Puente. Mr. Roark was a proud veteran of our armed forces. He was stationed in Brazil during World War II while serving in the U.S. Army and went on to serve in the Philippines and Hawai'i with the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Roark's service is commemorated in the book, Fighting Men of Oklahoma. Mr. Roark was like a brother to my father, Raul Solis, and was my sister, Anna Solis', godfather. His acts of kindness and dedication have inspired me and many who know him. It is a true blessing to have been raised with a role model like Mr. Roark; it is not every day that we encounter a person filled with such generosity and love. Mr. Roark was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great- grandfather, and friend. He is survived by his wife, 3 children, 4 grand children and 3 great-grand children. He will be truly missed.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. From 1915 to 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians suffered mass killings and more than half a million others were forced from their homeland into exile by the Ottoman Empire. Yet, from the ashes of destruction, the survivors rebuilt their lives. In the years since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. Communities in California and across the United States are fortunate to be home to an organized and active Armenian community, whose members contribute and participate in every aspect of civic life. Despite the many thriving communities, the scars of genocide remain deeply embedded in history and in our conscience. Today we mourn the victims, pay tribute to the survivors, stand together with all who are committed to promoting awareness about the atrocities of genocide, and renew our commitment to prevent future atrocities. Today we remember to never forget.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of tolerant, effective, comprehensive immigration reform. Half a million people, if not a million people, marched peacefully in Los Angeles to let the Senate know that enforcement and border protection-only approach will not solve our broken immigration system. 300,000 people in Chicago, 40,000 in Washington, DC, and 20,000 in Milwaukee and Phoenix marched to defend the hopes and dreams of immigrant families. Nearly 40,000 students across Southern California, including students at several schools in my district, marched for the rights of immigrants. I urge my colleagues in this body and in the Senate to listen to the message which reverberated across the country and support a tolerant and effective immigration policy. We need effective legislation that strikes the right balance between national security and reforming our current immigration system. This should include a path to permanency for the millions of law- abiding and taxpaying immigrants who call the United States home. It should reduce the long lines in the family immigration system to promote family unity and include measures to control the future flow of immigrants by providing them with legal avenues to live and work in the United States. Several proposals under consideration by Congress have a different approach. Rather than fixing the broken immigration system, they worsen the myriad of enforcement only measures which have already been tried and which have failed. For example, between 1990 and 2000 the size of the border patrol tripled, yet the number of undocumented immigrants increased. Between 1999 and 2004, the number of border agents in the Tucson, Arizona sector of the border increased by 56 percent, while the number of arrests increased by only 4 percent. This enforcement only approach has done nothing to protect our Nation's security. It merely encourages immigrants to cross in remote areas where it is more difficult to be caught and where they are more likely to die. We must secure our borders. We need to know who is crossing our borders and living and working in our country for our national security. But, enforcement alone will not accomplish this goal. I hope the U.S. Senate follows the lead of its Judiciary Committee and adopts legislation that will truly reform the system and enhance our Nation's security. I am pleased that the bill approved by the Committee includes the DREAM Act. As a member of the California Assembly, I authored the first bill to allow in-state tuition for outstanding California students. Immigrant families are an important part of our social fabric and our economy. Undocumented workers contribute as much as $7 billion a year into the Social Security system yet do not collect benefits. They fill an increasing share of jobs in labor-scarce regions and fill the types of jobs native workers often shun. Immigrants and their families serve and sacrifice as members of our Nation's Armed Forces. There are more than 35,000 people defending our Nation who are not U.S. citizens, and another 28,806 members of the military who have become U.S. citizens since the events of 9-11. Since September 11, 73 servicemembers have been granted posthumous citizenship. One of them, Francisco Martinez Flores of Duarte, was a constituent of mine. Their sacrifice is no less important to our country because of their immigration status. Undocumented immigrants are our neighbors, co-workers, fellow worshipers, and friends. Many of them want to stay in America and become full-fledged members of our society. President Bush said ``Immigration is an important topic. . . . We need to maintain our perspective. . . . At its core, immigration is a sign of a confident and successful nation.'' I hope the Senate keeps this in mind and does not let itself be influenced by the demagogues in our media and in Congress. As the proud daughter of immigrants, I value America's history of treasuring the contributions that immigrants have made to America. For generations, immigrants all over the World have been welcomed by the Statue of Liberty's message: ``Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, . . .'' We should not forget that our ancestors struggled and yearned for the American dream as much as immigrants do today. Today, I was pleased to join the Progressive Caucus in sending a letter to the Senate asking for real and comprehensive immigration reform. I urge my colleagues to adopt legislation which provides a real solution for our broken immigration system and reject enforcement-only proposals.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak out against the House Republicans' plan for an irresponsible budget that they are going to be presenting. While the House Republican budget never reaches balance, the Democrats' alternative is balanced by 2012. We simply must restore fiscal sanity here in Washington and the fact is the Republican budget doesn't even get there. The House Democratic alternative will not only provide a blueprint to get us back to balanced budgets, but it will restore critical domestic funding for programs that are so important for working class families. The Democratic budget provides the needs for working families who have been hit hard by Washington Republicans over the last 5 years. As they continue to face increasing gasoline prices, home heating bills, an increase in health care costs, and high tuition bills, we can't even send our children to college. Our budget provides critical funding for homeland security, education, health, veterans' benefits, and environmental programs that are all left out of the Republican budget. It is time that this House start working on behalf of the working families in our country.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to the Republicans' fiscal year 2007 budget resolution. It will hurt millions of women and children around our country. The resolution includes cuts to vital programs that help middle-class women, children, the elderly, and, in particular, Americans living in poverty. The budget will lead to cuts in funding for young women who need financial aid to go to college. As a result, young women will have a more difficult time attending college and pursuing their careers. The Perkins loans program is due to be cut dramatically. More than 450,000 college students would lose a key part of their financial aid. Young women, and especially minority students, disproportionately rely on Pell Grants. I was one of those students myself. For example, 40 percent of African American students will be affected, 30 percent of Hispanic students will have reduced Pell Grants compared to 23 percent of students overall. The aid is being cut while tuition costs are skyrocketing. The increase in the cost of tuition has increased by 57 percent under this President. Please do not support this Republican budget that would harm our students.