Jackie Speier

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my colleague Congressman Ted Poe holding this important Special Order Hour to honor survivors of sexual violence on our college campuses, and in particular the brave members of the 12th Woman, a group of survivors from Texas A&M University who are speaking truth to power about their experiences. Judge Poe has been unwavering in his pursuit of justice for victims of sexual violence on the bench and in Congress. I applaud his strong advocacy and tireless dedication to this incredibly important cause. He is a true ally and his legacy on this issue will continue to help countless victims and survivors move forward. When parents drop off their children for their first year of college, we expect our institutions of higher learning to keep them safe. But that's not the reality for 20 percent of young women and six percent of young men who are destined to become victims of sexual assault on campus. To make matters worse, survivors are constantly told that they are responsible for their assault--from being penalized for so-called `code of ethics' violations, like drinking at parties or going into other students' dorm rooms, to being blamed for not fighting back. That includes a brave survivor at Texas A&M who had the wherewithal to alert her school that her rapist was allowed back on the swim team after being suspended for only one semester and not being subject to criminal charges. The school's response speaks volumes--``I regret your displeasure with the perceived impact, and I wish you all the best as you continue to seek healing.'' The school's failure to protect the survivor and other potential victims is unacceptable. They are not alone. Universities continue to inadequately deal with perpetrators across the country--from expulsions after graduation, to honor code violations that carry less of a penalty than plagiarism, to allowing perpetrators to directly cross-examine their victims about their past sexual history during the so-called investigative process. This kind of antiquated victim-blaming and -shaming must end. That is why I am introducing the bipartisan Hold Accountable and Lend Transparency or HALT Campus Sexual Violence Act with my colleague Congressmen Ted Poe and Brian Fitzpatrick, to ensure that our colleges and universities do everything they can to hold perpetrators accountable and to provide the support survivors need and deserve.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my colleague Congressman Ted Poe holding this important Special Order Hour to honor survivors of sexual violence on our college campuses, and in particular the brave members of the 12th Woman, a group of survivors from Texas A&M University who are speaking truth to power about their experiences. Judge Poe has been unwavering in his pursuit of justice for victims of sexual violence on the bench and in Congress. I applaud his strong advocacy and tireless dedication to this incredibly important cause. He is a true ally and his legacy on this issue will continue to help countless victims and survivors move forward. When parents drop off their children for their first year of college, we expect our institutions of higher learning to keep them safe. But that's not the reality for 20 percent of young women and six percent of young men who are destined to become victims of sexual assault on campus. To make matters worse, survivors are constantly told that they are responsible for their assault--from being penalized for so-called `code of ethics' violations, like drinking at parties or going into other students' dorm rooms, to being blamed for not fighting back. That includes a brave survivor at Texas A&M who had the wherewithal to alert her school that her rapist was allowed back on the swim team after being suspended for only one semester and not being subject to criminal charges. The school's response speaks volumes--``I regret your displeasure with the perceived impact, and I wish you all the best as you continue to seek healing''. The school's failure to protect the survivor and other potential victims is unacceptable. They are not alone. Universities continue to inadequately deal with perpetrators across the country--from expulsions after graduation, to honor code violations that carry less of a penalty than plagiarism, to allowing perpetrators to directly cross-examine their victims about their past sexual history during the so-called investigative process. This kind of antiquated victim-blaming and -shaming must end. That is why I am introducing the bipartisan Hold Accountable and Lend Transparency or HALT Campus Sexual Violence Act with my colleagues Congressmen Ted Poe and Brian Fitzpatrick to ensure that our colleges and universities do everything they can to hold perpetrators accountable and to provide the support survivors need and deserve.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, due to a conflict, I unavoidably missed the following votes on June 28. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: 1. On roll call No. 306, I would have voted ``nay.'' 2. On roll call No. 307, I would have voted ``nay.'' 3. On roll call No. 308, I would have voted ``nay.'' 4. On roll call No. 309, I would have voted ``aye.'' 5. On roll call No. 310, I would have voted ``aye.'' 6. On roll call No. 311, I would have voted ``nay.'' 7. On roll call No. 312, I would have voted ``aye.'' 8. On roll call No. 313, I would have voted ``nay,'' because the bill commits funding for three Littoral Combat Ships, which, as the Heritage Foundation wrote, has ``disturbingly limited capabilities against a near-peer adversary.'' Purchasing two more LCSs than the Navy has even asked for is a classic Congressional boondoggle.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Cindy McCown, a champion against hunger and for food security in our region. In her 34 years of work for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, Cindy has seen first-hand that nutritious food is an essential ingredient to a healthy and productive life. In fact, Cindy created many of the programs that have made nutritious food accessible to tens of thousands of children, families and seniors in Northern California. Cindy rose through the ranks at the food bank and over the years built strong relationships with policy makers to create a more robust hunger-safety net. I count myself as one of those lucky policy makers who had the honor to work with Cindy on key legislation, such as the Farm Bill. It was Cindy who convinced me to take the Food Stamp challenge in 2011. This profound and humbling experience changed my perspective on hunger and food dependence forever. I've also sorted food with Cindy at the food bank to get a more complete understanding of its role in feeding and supporting our residents. For almost 90,000 residents in my Congressional District, SNAP and the food bank are literally a life line. Cindy's passion for food justice started early in her life. Originally from Spokane, Washington, Cindy's father, a psychiatrist, moved the family to San Luis Obispo to accept a job at Atascadero State Hospital when Cindy was in kindergarten. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in nutrition from California Polytechnic State University. During college, she did a nine-months internship teaching nutrition to migrant children in the agricultural town of Oceana. That experience made her see up close just how challenging it is to afford healthy and nutritious food when you are poor. In 1984 the Second Harvest Food Bank had a job opening for a community nutritionist and Cindy jumped at the opportunity. Back then, the food bank was located in an old bottling plant and had an annual budget of less than $1 million. Today, the organization has three facilities, including a dedicated produce distribution center, and an annual budget of $42 million. Cindy grew and grew with the relatively new concept of a food bank. She led efforts to better organize the food distribution and to bring it closer to the people who needed it. She created partnerships with non-profit organizations and more than 900 distribution sites in almost every zip code. She also came up with the idea for a multilingual hotline to connect callers to the closest food. Instead of looking at the organization purely as a food provider, Cindy found creative ways to turn it into a local community leader on ending hunger. After the Lorna Prieta earthquake in 1989, Cindy helped create CADRE, the Collaborating Agencies Disaster Relief Effort, to effectively respond to natural disasters. Second Harvest Food Bank is still part of the CADRE leadership team. In 1997, Cindy was instrumental in forming the Safety New Project, a partnership to address welfare reform impacts. She continues to co-chair that committee. At the height of the Great Recession in 2010, Cindy in collaboration with the Santa Clara Social Services Agency, secured millions of dollars through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the county was the first in the country to provide ``stimulus food boxes'' to those in need. Cindy has a gift to bring public and private resources together to help people in need, educate the public and fight against the stigma of poverty. Under her leadership Second Harvest Food Bank has been honored with Feeding America's Advocacy Hall of Fame the last four year in a row. With each dose of food, Cindy hands out a dose of dignity. In 2015, Second Harvest named Cindy Vice President of Community Engagement and Policy. In that role she formed the Children's Nutrition Coalition, which includes a dozen school districts, libraries, youth groups, and social services agencies, to ensure children get nutritious food particularly during the summer when families don't have access to school meals. She also launched the school breakfast initiative in high-need areas. Due to those programs, local children received over 300,000 additional meals last year. Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to rise with me to celebrate a community leader who has literally nurtured tens of thousands of lives throughout her remarkable career. Cindy McCown is a visionary trailblazer and tireless advocate for people in need. She leaves behind a legacy of empathy, compassion and creative thinking that will enrich our community for years to come.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Pat Martel, the retiring City Manager of Daly City, California. Pat has served the people of Daly City, in one important capacity or another, for nearly two decades. To say that this is the end of an era in San Mateo County would be a profound understatement. Pat Martel spent thirty-five years in local government service. The people of Inglewood, South San Francisco, San Francisco, and Daly City have all benefitted from Pat's steady hand and well-recognized skill at forming coalitions. She runs a city by the numbers, but with a heart. This is exemplified in part by her participation in nonprofit activities where she has served as Chair of Peninsula Family Service Agency, a nonprofit dedicated to helping struggling families in San Mateo County. She dedicated her life to her fellow professionals by volunteering to serve as a board member of the California City Management Foundation, served on the City Managers Department of the League of California Cities, and volunteered for the board of the International Hispanic Network. I have worked with Pat Martel for decades. Many of my most important judgments were informed by Pat's advice. During the crucial time when San Francisco was determining how to upgrade and reinforce the critical Hetch Hetchy water system, serving 2.4 million users in San Francisco and the Bay Area, Pat assured me that city voters would pass the bond needed to make repairs. This reassurance led me to work with Pat and many others to get the measure passed and to establish a local government oversight board for the project. Without question, the water supply of these millions of people and businesses is more secure because Pat Martel was in the job when the job needed a tremendous leader. The City of Daly City has undergone enormous changes since Pat arrived. It has always been a thriving commercial and cultural center on the Peninsula. ``The Gateway to the Peninsula'' is the city's motto, and Pat and her team kept the gateway sparkling and thriving despite sometimes difficult economic times over the years. Above all else, Daly City is a city of families. Pat is recognized as a strong advocate for city services such as libraries and parks that draw people together so that the fabric of community may be created and reinforced. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California from which she received her B.S. degree in Public Affairs, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. She is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and, in 2014, she was elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Pat also has numerous other awards from her years of service, including those from the San Francisco Business Times and Kaiser Permanente and KQED radio, all of which recognized her as an outstanding manager and leader. Daly City sits on the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean, at its edges defying gravity as its cliff faces plunge into the water and its hang gliders dare nature in their soaring beauty. It is a complex place filled with honest and hardworking people. Even on its foggiest and windiest days, the people of Daly City are a furnace of good spirits and community pride. Over the years, the city has known many local giants who, collectively, first developed local dairy farms into housing, brought in freeways and mass transit, and then decades later redeveloped the town into a modern suburb housing families from every point on the globe. All of those prior local giants would have embraced Pat Martel, just as the modern population extends its hand to her in thanks. Since there really isn't a place on the city's ocean front from which to launch a ship into the sunset, I expect to instead see Pat Martel poised under a hang glider, atop a bluff, as she leaves her city behind. As she's done in the past, she will have done her homework so that she will not only soar with the others, but lead them as well into new expanses. We wish Pat well and know that she will not fail in her next adventure, for no one who knows her could imagine anything but success in all her future years. She will take her colorful kite with her, but behind she will leave a rainbow of good wishes and a pot of gold--a legacy of great management and great love for all people--for the next generation to treasure.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize one of the most gifted and effective leaders I have met, had the distinct honor to work with over several decades, and am proud to call a dear friend. Dixie Horning is retiring from her leadership roles as Executive Director of the University of California, San Francisco National Center of Excellence in Women's Health and Associate Chair for Finance and Administration for the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, after 20 years of service with that esteemed institution. Her transformational work at UCSF followed 30 years of transformational public service in Texarkana, Arkansas, Lafayette, Louisiana and Washington, D.C. Dixie is a master at building communities, designing public policy, administering complex programs, and managing organizations and people. Dixie has been honored by UCSF with two prestigious Chancellor's Awards recognizing her service above and beyond her appointed roles. The Chancellor's Award for the Advancement of Women recognized her contributions to success of many individuals through her coaching, mentoring and sponsorship of UCSF staff, faculty, high school young women and leaders of community organizations. Dixie's vital efforts to advance and improve UCSF's partnerships with its community, with an emphasis on the sharing of power in these relationships, was recognized by the Chancellor's Award for Public Service. Dixie's contributions to our network of National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health cannot be understated. She traveled across this big country of ours guiding and supporting other Centers in transforming women's health and healthcare. There is no task imaginable Dixie couldn't tackle. To understand why she is so effective it helps to understand her life philosophy--what I like to call the Five Dixie Principles: 1. Earn leadership through presence and performance. 2. Practice active skill transfer to build sustainability: everyone has something to learn and everyone has something to teach. 3. Don't go anywhere unless invited. 4. Prepare a place at the table for all stakeholders. If a stakeholder is not yet ready to join, don't delay, begin the work but leave the seat open for future participation. And 5. Long term change requires long term presence. Those have been Dixie's ingredients for long term and sustainable success. Dixie started her remarkable career in Texarkana, Arkansas in the early 1970s. She was hired as a gym recreation program coordinator in the Model Cities Program, an initiative of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. She embraced the goals of developing new antipoverty programs, achieving community integration, building better local government, engaging citizens in meaningful ways and translated them into reality. She built ten major parks, established the first domestic violence shelter, created art museums for children and community centers for seniors. She launched six non-profits that provided day care, sports and education. She established transportation access for those who are differently abled. She served on commissions for issues as diverse as juvenile justice reform, sexually transmitted diseases, childhood education, and sports in prisons. Her success attracted more resources from private public partnerships and was noted as model program for the State by the Department of Parks and Tourism. Dixie was named by President Reagan to serve on his Advisory Council on the Outdoors. Twenty years later, the Mayor of Lafayette, Louisiana recruited Dixie to replicate the programs she had created in Texarkana. She moved and did exactly that. She collaborated with the leaders of the Southern Mutual Help Association who were dedicated to uplifting agricultural communities. Together they created a model for community transformation and economic sustainability that focused on the removal of structural systems that reinforced poverty. From Louisiana, Dixie moved to Washington, DC and became the Executive Director of the Gray Panthers. She worked with its founder Maggie Kuhn to eliminate age discrimination and change our view of aging and older Americans. She also worked with the Coalition that lobbied for the Violence against Women Act and renewal of Title IX. Throughout her work across this country Dixie has been an active participant in women's history. She attended the 1st UN International Women's Conference in Mexico City in 1975 as a delegate from the rural women's caucus. She went on to serve on the planning committees for the next three UN international women's conferences in Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985 and Beijing in 1995. Dixie led the Beijing and Beyond taskforce. In Washington, Dixie served on National Council of Women's Organizations, including a term as its President. In 1988, Dixie was selected to carry the Torch at the Parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1913 Suffragette March for the Vote. She served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Women's History Project. Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor my friend Dixie Horning, an exceptional champion of social justice and fierce feminist advocate for all women and girls. While we don't exactly know what she will do in this next chapter in her life, we can be sure it will transformational and lead to a better future for us all.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Kevin Miller as he retires from his position as City Manager of Foster City. Mr. Miller has served as a city employee for a total of 33 years. He began in the Parks and Recreation Department and, for 23 years, was Director of that department. For the past three years, he's been City Manager. Throughout this time, Kevin Miller has been an outstanding example of candor and thoughtfulness in public service. Foster City is a community of 34,000 people located on the shores of San Francisco Bay. It is a jewel, with waterways throughout and a culture of physical fitness and activity that would make an Olympic athlete feel at home just going to the local Starbucks. Residents can be found jogging along the levee in the pre-dawn hours, swimming at Gull Park on a Saturday morning, and playing at the assorted soccer, tennis, and baseball facilities throughout the year. The city's website lists 5 parks in a community of 20 square miles. The only thing missing from this exciting community is a bobsled track-Foster City lacks even a molehill, let alone any genuine inclined land. Former Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Miller, backed by countless active citizens and city council members, is a key reason that this city pulses with athletic joy and energy. He led the charge to create these facilities and to nurture them over decades. He envisioned public places where families could relax or explore or yell and shout. He found land where geese can roam and where rabbits still chew the grass in the early morning. When the Fourth of July fireworks soar over the city's waterways, its residents ply the lagoons and canals in tiny boats. Kevin Miller is a decades-long leader in the creation of opportunities for healthy celebration, adventure, and play. A few years back, a longtime City Manager retired and the City Council naturally selected Mr. Miller as the successor. It was an easy selection for a challenging time. The Foster City levee had just lost its accreditation by FEMA, and suddenly the person at the tip of the organizational spear was forced to confront a project that eventually penciled out to $90 million. In the past few weeks, the voters confirmed the judgment of the city council, Kevin and other leaders on his team when 80 percent chose to fix the levee. Protecting lives and property is Job No. 1 of the City Council, the City Manager, and the highly respected public employees of Foster City. In addition to serving as City Manager and Parks and Recreation Director, Kevin Miller has participated in economic development, housing and other activities during his time in public service. He has the confidence of the business community because he runs a business- like operation at city hall. It was many years ago that Kevin graduated from Chico State with a bachelor's degree in parks and recreation administration. He ultimately assumed statewide leadership positions in the Parks and Recreation Association, served on the county's library authority, and assumed positions of regional oversight. He now says that he wishes to spend more time with Loretta, his wife of 35 years, and their adult children, Jacqueline and Leslie. He's earned it, and we understand if he does more golfing in the future than he has in the past. However, he will be missed. If they could, even the seagulls would give thanks for his leadership because, despite admonishments by their parents to the contrary, children in the parks that Kevin created still love to feed the gulls. So let me take a moment to note these salutes to the thoughtfulness and professional judgment of Kevin Miller -from the children whose smiles he helped to nurture, from the parents whose homes he helped to secure, from the city employees whose spirits he elevated, from the public safety personnel he strongly supported, from the city councilmembers whose confidence he earned, and from the wildlife who eat well because Kevin left room for their needs when he planned public spaces. Mr. Speaker, Kevin Miller is the John Philip Sousa of public management. The public is inspired by his work, and he'll leave this chapter of his life with everyone who knows him tapping their toes and moving to his beat as he goes through the door.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise along with my colleague, Anna Eshoo, to recognize the City of East Palo Alto upon the occasion of its 35th anniversary as an incorporated city in San Mateo County. East Palo Alto is a beautiful community of approximately 30,000 persons nestled between San Francisco Bay and communities to the west. The people of East Palo Alto have always been industrious. As the city entered the 1980's, its leadership became convinced that this energy needed a focus: Its own city government so that services could flourish and greater economic opportunity could be created. We were both members of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors during this time, and we supported the incorporation of East Palo Alto because we know that self-determination was the best way to deliver opportunity. Passions ran high and the 1982 attempt at incorporation was not successful. However, the second attempt, in 1983, delivered a narrow win of 13 votes. The leadership in this effort was, of course, local and several of those leaders were selected for the first city council. Ms. Barbara Moulton was the first Mayor and today's Mayor, Mr. Ruben Abrica, served on that first city council. Also serving were Mr. James Blakey Jr., Vice-Mayor, Mr. F.J. ``Omowale'' Satterwhite, and Ms. Gertrude Wilkes. East Palo Alto is a community where the love of its original city mothers and fathers endures to this day amongst those who remain. This love has been passed on to multiple waves of new, energetic, leaders as the community underwent tremendous changes during the intervening decades. Since 1983, a police force has been created to replace the patrols of the county Sheriff, and today this department has strong ties to the people that it serves. The city has control over planning and zoning, so the tax base has exploded. Recently, the city negotiated water rights from its neighbors and is now poised to take part in the high technology transformation of long-dormant land within its jurisdiction. At one time in its history, East Palo Alto suffered from major crime problems, but the community came together to dramatically improve safety. Today, East Palo Alto's violent crime rate is comparable to the overall rate of California. Credit goes to city leadership, residents in all neighborhoods, the schools, clergy, and major philanthropies. A new jobs center recently opened and residents are being placed in positions each month. Infrastructure problems that long bedeviled the community are being tackled on a scale that can only be described as gigantic. Flooding has been dramatically reduced due to a multi- million-dollar creek project nearing completion, and due to extensive improvements in the city's storm drain system. Plans exist to upgrade major roads such as Bay Road. A new park at Cooley Landing recently opened, bringing access to the bay closer to the children of East Palo Alto. Coupled with the Bay Trail that runs nearby and along its levees, East Palo Alto is rapidly transforming from a community where the demand for additional police services has receded at the same moment that the demand for a bicycle bridge over Highway 101 succeeded. East Palo Alto is in many ways like any other city in America because its civic spirit is improving the quality of life with the passage of every day. However, unlike many other communities in America, East Palo Alto consciously seeks to build bridges between its residents. This is reflected in the city's mission statement: The City of East Palo Alto provides responsive, respectful, and efficient public services to enhance the quality of life and safety for its multi-cultural community. In 1983, skeptics predicted that the residents of East Palo Alto could not financially support a city. They were wrong. In 1983, some predicted that infighting would kill the civic spirit of East Palo Alto. They were wrong. Civic pride, always strong and present, has flourished. In 1983, some wondered if the residents of East Palo Alto could deliver on the promises of incorporation. Today, East Palo Alto is a shining example of the story of America herself. It is thriving and self-governing towards an ever-brighter future. We celebrate the 35th anniversary of the incorporation of this special place by the bay. East Palo Alto is an outstanding example of democracy in America.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. John's United Church of Christ in San Bruno, California. This church has been a rock of comfort and hope for an entire century, and the community joins with me in extending these good wishes. San Bruno was incorporated as a city in 1914. St. John's was founded soon thereafter by German immigrants and first met in the homes of its congregants or, a few years later, in Carpenter's Hall. By 1920, the city of San Bruno had about 1,500 residents and by 1921 the congregation had outgrown its earlier locations and a church building was erected. The congregation thrived. In the 1930's, multiple orders of churches merged and ultimately formed the United Church of Christ. The motto of the new denomination was ``That they may all be one.'' Today, the congregants come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Families from throughout the world, and even those who originally worshipped in different denominations, have joined to form the community of St. John's United Church of Christ. The church participates in multiple charitable activities, including providing disaster relief, offering contributions to St. Anthony's Dining Room and to the San Francisco Night Ministry. Its values of faith, love and inclusion lead the church to support all and to value each human being, no matter how little a person may have. In addition to meeting its charitable objectives, the church serves as the site of worship for three other churches. In the past, it also opened its doors to the Filipino Congregational Church of San Bruno. During the day, squeals of laughter from children can be heard in its hallways as they enjoy their lessons offered onsite by the California Montessori School. For the past 40 years, St. John's has been led by Pastor Champion Traylor and his late wife, Pat. During weddings and funerals, weekly services and rallies for hope, through peaceful times and when our nation was at war, this couple gave comfort to their fellow citizens and offered guidance to all who sought it. Sometimes we lose track of the importance of ministry in our daily lives. Pastor Traylor and his wife never lost track of anyone in their ministry. So let us wish St. John's another 100 years of prosperity. We know that other churches may be larger, but few have been such stalwart members of San Bruno's community for 100 or more years. In the years since St. John's was founded, the first asphalt state highway was laid down just a few miles away in San Bruno, a racetrack was built and then demolished, San Francisco airport went from a mud field to an international destination, and tens of thousands of San Bruno children were raised and left their homes to participate in civic life and commerce. St. John's has remained. It has always served the next wave of Americans and immigrants, allowing all who enter to be encouraged in their spiritual quest and thus allowing America herself to become a more perfect union. May this special place near San Francisco Bay continue to prosper for the next 100 years.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 120th anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. About 120 years ago, U.S. actions turned promises of freedom into false hope. Though Filipino rebels fought alongside our troops to end colonial Spanish rule, the Philippines became a U.S. territory, not a nation. Filipinos only achieved independence in 1946, after decades of further bloodshed. Despite this unfortunate past, we have moved forward together. I am proud to represent one of the largest Filipino communities in the world anchored in Daly City. Filipino Americans make countless contributions to our society, from Bruno Mars' songs to servicemembers' brave sacrifices. Even when our leaders don't share our values, the people of the United States and the Philippines together remain committed to democracy, human rights, and self-determination.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access & Research (STAR) Act, a bill that will touch many lives affected by childhood cancer. This has been a true example of bipartisanship. I particularly want to thank my colleague Congressman McCaul for his leadership on this critical bill and my other fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, Congressmen Butterfield and Kelly. I also want to thank our Senate partners, Senators Reed, Moore Capito, Van Hollen, and Isakson. And to all children and families affected by childhood cancer, this is their victory. It is because of their tireless advocacy that this landmark legislation will be sent to the President's desk and signed into law. With the STAR Act, we have won a battle in our long-fought war against childhood cancer. This bill creates an arsenal of tools for the National Institutes of Health to promote vital research into childhood cancer, such as the establishment of National Biorepositories. It also improves the quality of life for survivors, including by funding models of long-term care to help monitor the progress of survivors as they age. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize two of my constituents who have personally inspired my work on this important bill. The first is Christie Chaudry, who after surviving childhood cancer grew up to become a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner. For the last seven years, Christie has helped run the inpatient chemotherapy unit at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford-- the same hospital where she was treated as a child. The second is Andrea Church, a childhood cancer advocate from San Carlos, California, who set a goal to have San Francisco City Hall lit up in gold in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Andrea's daughter, Riley, passed away at age 14 due to an inoperable brain tumor. In her daughter's honor, Andrea reached and surpassed her goal two years ago. Not only did San Francisco City Hall go gold, so did Oakland City Hall, AT&T Park--the home of the San Francisco Giants--and the Oakland Coliseum--the home of the Oakland A's. Mr. Speaker, the STAR Act opens the door to numerous opportunities for research and innovation in the treatment of childhood cancer. It addresses critical gaps in the care of childhood cancer survivors, and it creates a holistic approach to studying the disease. With the passage of this legislation, we are moving closer to a future where children and their families may one day live cancer-free. I thank my colleagues for their support.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, due to a conflict, I unavoidably missed the following votes on May 18. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: 1. On rollcall No. 200, I would have voted ``nay.'' 2. On rollcall No. 201, I would have voted ``nay.'' 3. On rollcall No. 202, I would have voted ``aye.'' 4. On rollcall No. 203, I would have voted ``nay.'' 5. On rollcall No. 204, I would have voted ``aye.'' 6. On rollcall No. 205, I would have voted ``nay.'' Motion to Reconsider

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues have a point. It is really terrible that some people take advantage of free food and drink to continue their slothful lifestyles. I agree. This conduct must stop. Of course, Members of Congress can attend lunches and receptions with free food and drink every single day, sleep on the taxpayer's dime in their offices, and have the taxpayers do their laundry, too. The House has been in session for a measly 50 days this year, and I have compiled at least 54 receptions, which is just the tip of the iceberg of free food and drink available to Members. But even estimating a modest $10 for a glass of wine and a plate of appetizers, that means that a Member who attends a reception every night the House is in session, has received a benefit of over $500 just since the beginning of this year. That is about the same amount of money as the maximum monthly food stamp benefit for a family of three, except Congress Members are nibbling on pork sliders, and French Brie, and pate, while these poor families are expected to feed each family member three meals a day for 30 days. That breaks down to about $5.60 for each meal, or about $1.87 per person per meal. Now, I am sure none of my colleagues would think that they are better than working people who struggle to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. And I am sure all of us are happy to be subject to the same rules that we vote on in this Chamber. So here is my modest proposal: The congressional electronic benefits transfer card, or congressional food stamp card. We will put a little cash in it--say $1.87 per reception--and Members can figure out how to make their monthly reception budget stretch to fit their wining-and-dining needs. Maybe we will have Members carrying their single glass of wine from one reception to another, or maybe they will blow their whole allotment on one plate of shrimp, or maybe--just maybe--we will see more Members of Congress showing empathy for the most vulnerable in our society. Now, to be clear, there is nothing wrong with private organizations spending their own money on outreach to Members of Congress. I have certainly attended my share of receptions, as has everyone else here. But what is truly repellent in this debate, is the rank hypocrisy. Here we sit, we get paid $174,000 a year to work 4 days a week here at the U.S. Capitol, and we are considering a bill that would take food assistance away from millions of Americans. Members of Congress can literally walk down the hall for free appetizers any time of the day or the week. Yet, Republicans are proposing to deny 265,000 children school meals. Congress can't pass an infrastructure bill or DACA, but we can debate a bureaucratic and ineffective work requirement for people struggling with hunger. Perhaps if my colleagues ran out of funds on their congressional food stamp card and got a bit peckish, they would remember that in one of the richest countries in the world, we should not let people go hungry. Period. How can we be debating on whether to starve children whose parents are struggling with low-paying or unstable jobs? You know what should be an unstable job? Giving corporations $2 trillion in tax cuts while slashing basic food assistance to 20 million children, 5 million seniors, and 1 million veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against this disgusting bill. And for those who don't, I will pray that you regret every bite of free shrimp cocktail and every sip of free wine.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, which will create some fairness for more than 600,000 workers across our country who are in small businesses and manufacturing facilities that use sugar as an ingredient in the products they make. Over 91,000 of those jobs and 2,300 of those businesses are in my home State of California. This amendment would make the sugar program fairer for taxpayers, manufacturers, and American consumers. By removing the many unnecessary government interventions that have kept sugar prices excessively high, manufacturers will create jobs and American consumers will no longer be on the hook for $4 billion per year in hidden sugar costs.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, thank you, and I thank my dear friend, Paul Tonko, who loved Louise like no one else in this Chamber, for arranging this for us tonight. Tom Jones had a song, ``She's a Lady.'' Louise Slaughter was that lady, except none of the other lyrics of that song were appropriate for Louise. She was a lady who was tough as nails, with a steel backbone and a sharp and very funny tongue. There are many people I like in our Chamber, few I truly love. I loved Louise Slaughter. Members come and go and hardly leave a footprint around here, even Members who have served long periods of time. That is not true about Louise. I still did it today. I walk onto this floor seeking her out. I look at C-SPAN and expect to see her presenting another cogent argument on the inane closed rule offered by the other side. There is a void in this Chamber with her passing, but her footprints are everywhere. Louise distinguished herself in so many issues and in so many ways: the first woman, as we have said over and over again, to represent western New York; the first woman to chair the Rules Committee. Now, as an 88-year-old woman, she was chairing this committee into the wee hours of the morning, day after day, and never lost a beat. She is one of the longest serving Members. She is the only microbiologist. She was responsible for creating the first $500 million set-aside for breast cancer research. She created the Office of Research on Women's Health, and she is responsible for the passage of the STOCK Act. Mr. Speaker, and to our leader, Nancy Pelosi, I hope that we take the time to name the STOCK Act after Louise Slaughter. Louise and I spent wonderful evenings together with Paul Tonko and Marcy Kaptur at dinner at the National Democratic Club. She kept us in stitches. She did not suffer fools gladly, and she would see a phony $2 bill of a Member on the floor and not mince words. She also taught me to speak Southern. She taught me that you should say ``bless your sweet heart,'' which really meant, ``move over,'' expletive deleted. I will always remember her lying peacefully in the hospital, with perfectly coifed hair, as only a lady would have, and a faint smile on her face. I like to think that she was smiling because she left this world with her boots on. She was still fighting for her constituents, taking her last breaths with dignity, strength, elegance, and at peace, with her three daughters looking on with love and admiration. Louise, you are now with your beloved Bob. We all here, including your extraordinary staff who is seated here in the Chamber, are heartbroken. We are, frankly, still in shock. But we are deeply grateful to have known and to love you. God bless you always.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sally Anne Convirs James who is receiving the 2018 Community Care Award from the Associated Parents' Group of Hillsborough for her exemplary involvement in the school district and the community at large. Sally started as a parent volunteer in the classroom and at events while her children attended South School and Crocker Middle School and became the librarian at South in 2008. Sally's creativity is boundless She developed several library programs and educational practices that bring classroom learning to life and instill a love of reading in all South students. South's Reading Tiger, her best-known literacy program, earned the California Gold Ribbon Award in 2016. Sally also created the Summer Reading Challenge and the Long-Term Reading Challenge and she continues the Birthday Book Club tradition. Sally is a staunch advocate of hands-on learning. She walks students through history in programs such as Colonial Day, A Walk Through the American Revolution, Gold Rush Day or Ohlone Day. She has brought numerous authors to the library and works closely with parents and teachers to come up with the most fun and beneficial activities for her students. She also maintains the website and social media pages. Sally is truly a multitalented gem. Before becoming the librarian, Sally served as a member of the Citizen's Oversight Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Little League. She was an inaugural member of the school district's HTV team and started a Girl Scout troop. In addition to her library responsibilities, Sally is passionate about the environment and green initiatives. She helped set up trash sorting facilities and has participated in creek clean ups. She also helped establish a partnership between South and Samaritan House which teaches students about public service and social justice. Nurturing students to become our leaders of tomorrow, Sally helped revamp the student council format and process. Sally is all about helping others-- she is an amazing teacher, librarian, listener and mentor. Her hard work, which she always makes look effortless, has earned her the admiration and adoration of her students, their parents and her colleagues. Originally from Los Angeles, Sally earned her BA in Psychology in 1984 and her JD in 1987 from UCLA. In 2008, she received a teaching credential from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont and in 2012, she received a teacher librarian services credential from Fresno Pacific University. Sally and Robert Michael James, her husband for 24 years, have three children; Katharine, Philip and Henry. Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to rise with me to recognize a remarkable community leader, teacher and human being. Many at South School fittingly say that as the library has become the core of South School, Sally has become its heart. The town of Hillsborough is truly fortunate to call Sally James one of their own.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lennie Gotcher who will be presented with the 2018 Citizen of the Year Award from the Associated Parents' Group of Hillsborough. Lennie is a role model for all of us in the community and an integral part of our town. Lennie's roots in Hillsborough run deep. She grew up here and she and her husband Peter raised their four children here. Her volunteer work began in the schools her sons attended; first at South when her oldest son was in preschool, then at North Preschool and Crocker Middle School where she spent countless hours in the classroom and at events. In addition to being a devoted mother and wife, Lennie is passionate about gardening and to say that she has a green thumb and comprehensive understanding of organic farming is an understatement. Lennie had the vision and perseverance to create the Harvest Garden, known as the crown jewel of Hillsborough. In 2010, she worked with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Hillsborough Beautification Foundation (HBF), the Town Public Works Director and the Town Council to get the project approved. Not only did she create a beautiful garden growing fresh produce, she turned the project into a learning experience for students. She oversaw a group of high school students cleaning a vacant lot and soliciting donations from the community. Today, the Harvest Garden offers an internship program for high school students, workshops for community members and volunteer programs for the local schools, the Boy Scouts, the National Charity League and the Young Men's Service League. All of the work is done by volunteers who have produced over 9,000 pound of organic vegetables that have been donated to homeless shelters and the working poor. We can proudly say that the Harvest Garden grows produce and community. As a very active member of HBF since 2002, Lennie was also the driving force behind the Marilyn Hills Garden at Crocker and the renovation of Vista Park. She was President of HBF from 2004 to 2006 and has been recognized as Volunteer of the Year. She completed the California Master Gardener Program, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Filoli Center, and she has been a member of the Hillsborough Garden Club for 16 years. You may surmise from this intense list of volunteer work that it doesn't allow time for anything else, but you are mistaken. Lennie found the time and energy to co-found a start-up in 2006 that produces mobility aids. Lennie, born in San Francisco, earned her BA from UC Berkeley. She married Peter in 1987 and they have four sons, Miles, John, Will and Gray. Lennie's dedication and love for her community knows no bounds. She tirelessly and patiently works on making Hillsborough a better and more beautiful place to live for all residents. Her ability to lead and to quietly work behind the scenes makes her an extraordinarily effective community leader. Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to rise with me to recognize a woman who nurtures everyone and everything around her. Lennie Gotcher is truly an exceptional citizen and the Town of Hillsborough is fortunate to call her one of their own.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Charise McHugh, an outstanding community leader and entrepreneur who has led the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitors' Bureau for the last 22 years. Charise will retire from that role in the fall but she will leave behind a legacy that will continue to shape the fabric of the Coastside for decades to come. I have been privileged to work with Charise for all these years and to call her a friend. She has always amazed me with her energy and can-do philosophy. Half Moon Bay has about 12,000 residents and the unincorporated county areas nearby has again that many residents. During her time with the Chamber in this charming coastal region, Charise has achieved a remarkable and diverse list of accomplishments. She founded the Hotel BID and the only broad-based ecotourism program in the state. She started the Coastside Emergency Action Program, a disaster preparedness plan for San Mateo County and she was instrumental m bringing STEM Robotics to local schools. Charise also deserves credit for producing the Silver Medal Award Business Directory. Half Moon Bay residents and visitors can thank her for starting bus service on the coast, for planting Highway 1 medians and for getting the attractive directional signs on Main Street installed. Charise loves her home town and the coast with a passion that is infectious. Her inexhaustible creativity and hard work have resulted in a Chamber membership that has soared from 330 businesses to 720 businesses during her tenure. Chamber mixers are highly popular. Charise will tell you that she enjoys her job so much because it is so diverse, but in truth she is the one who is making it diverse. She works with businesses, non-profits and government and is a masterful networker. She has her hands in publishing, website design, video production, event planning, business development, beautification, hospitality, you name it. There is no task Charise won't tackle. A San Mateo County native, Charise earned her BA from Notre Dame de Namur University and the University of California, Davis. She has been married to her beloved husband Jack for 35 years and they have three children, Byron, Tamara and Josh, and six grandchildren, Annabelle, Sadie, Jacob, Chloe, Jaden and Asha. Charise announced that she will retire this year, but she won't leave her post until she can help one more time with the Pumpkin Festival, one of Half Moon Bay's signature events that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the coast. After that, she will do some consulting work. That is Charise, never idle and always engaged. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Charise McHugh for her exceptional service to her community. She has transformed the Chamber of Commerce into a powerhouse that has helped make Half Moon Bay into a destination. Residents and visitors alike benefit from her contributions every day and will continue to do so for years to come.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, it is a personal thrill for me to participate in this special hour. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for doing a very good job of surprising our guest of honor this evening. She did it very well because she did it on policy. She got Marcy to come here on a night when she should be celebrating, but she didn't hesitate to come down here to talk about what is wrong with Wall Street, which shows you how committed Marcy Kaptur is. When I think of Marcy Kaptur, I think of a string of pearls. She is always providing pearls of wisdom to all of us. We have heard from many Members who have spoken about the fact that she has mentored them. I know when I was a young Member here--young only in time served--that it was Marcy who came up to me a number of times to show support and to provide me guidance. She also has a very elegant way, a very simple and elegant way that she comports herself. When she talks about issues, she talks with great passion, but with great dignity--again, a reflection of a string of pearls. She has never forgotten her roots. She has never forgotten her constituents. Now, her blood may be red, but there is a lot of blue running through them because she has always been there for the blue- collar worker. And she oftentimes in caucus is the conscience for all of us because she reminds us about the working class: What are we doing for the working class, lower middle class Americans? Her commitment to economic justice cannot be lost on any of us because that has been one of the main principles that has really directed her work here and has been a moral compass for her. So when the financial meltdown happened, Marcy had such a passion for wanting to right this terrible wrong, and she was no longer serving on the Financial Services Committee, but she had a thirst to learn everything she possibly could about what was necessary to reform the system. And I remember her coming to a briefing that I had with some experts, and then she invited me to a briefing that she had with some experts because all she wanted to do was get to the truth of what we needed to do. She has conviction that she, I think, reflected in all she did through that financial meltdown because she was going to stop at nothing less than wholesale changes to fix the system, because, as many of us felt: never, ever again. So as I think about the fact that we are celebrating the longest serving woman in the history of the United States House of Representatives, I feel so privileged to say that I know you; that I have served with you. There is no one who is more ethical in this building than you; there is no one more compassionate in this building than you; and there is no one more committed to economic justice in this building. There has never been, nor do I think will there ever be, anyone who cares about Ohio like Marcy Kaptur. Marcy, thank you for being a beacon for all of us to follow. I truly love you, respect you, honor you; and I am truly pleased that we are celebrating a wonderful career here tonight that is only going to continue. But I think we all feel pretty special being part of this celebration.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chair, let me close by saying this: I wholeheartedly support the letter and the spirit of this law. I recognize how important it is. This law is powerful, but it has been weaponized by lawyers who are trying to make a quick buck. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, the ADA is a powerful and important law that we all respect and embrace. Unfortunately, in States like California, it has created a cottage industry of unscrupulous attorneys abusing title III of the ADA. The amendment I am offering is very simple. The current language in the bill permits a business notified of noncompliance with the ADA to simply make substantial progress in remedying the violation. Frankly, this language is too loose. My amendment strengthens this language to only permit the language of ``substantial progress'' where they cannot complete the work because of extenuating circumstances. Mr. Chairman, this amendment promotes basic fairness. It does not allow dishonest property owners to abandon responsibility by claiming they have made substantial progress. The message is still clear: businesses must fix their ADA violations. Today is a chance to pass something that addresses the real problem. Let's not let the lack of a perfect solution get in the way of real progress. I want to speak to some of the issues that we have had in California. In California, this particular law has created an industry that allows for lawyers to make a lot of money off of small businesses. It has basically allowed shady law firms to make a profit out of abusing the ADA, often resulting in high legal bills and no fix to the allegations presented. In many cases, businesses are forced into settlements because the cost of fighting an allegation is so great. The average cost of a settlement is $16,000, but the cost of fighting the allegation is sometimes four to six times the average $75,000 income generated by the business. In California, a simple fix--putting up a sign or moving a door a few inches--can carry a $4,000 penalty, the minimum amount of damages, which will still be in place when the bill passes. This is no small sum if you are a local bakery, a neighborhood grocery store, or a barber shop. California is ground zero for this problem. It is home to 12 percent of the disabled population but 40 percent of ADA lawsuits nationwide. From 2012 to 2014, 54 percent of all related complaints in California were filed by just two law firms. The law firms sometimes recruit plaintiffs who are not directly impacted by the ADA or even living in the same State. Fourteen plaintiffs brought 46 percent of all these lawsuits. One of them, Robert McCarthy, filed more than 400 suits against California businesses, and he doesn't even live in the State. One infamous example is the California-based Moore Law Firm, which filed more than 700 lawsuits over the past few years, resulting in large settlements and sometimes even bankruptcy for some businesses. Given recent laws to address this in my home State, trial lawyers are rushing to States like Texas, New York, and Florida, where they can make a profit. In 2014, a bar owner living in Torrance, California, was handed five lawsuits in the past 2 years and needed to save up to $30,000 to remodel. She was the target of a small group of attorneys who took aim at businesses in shopping centers for a quick profit. What we need to do, Mr. Chairman, is take the profit out of making these facilities accessible. We all want them to be accessible. We want to give them notice and a couple of months to cure the problem or else the lawsuit can continue. I think this makes a lot of sense. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his generosity and for his great leadership. Mr. Speaker, we are truly here on a historic occasion. It is a rare and crucial moment of bipartisanship. This is the way you can do it-- men and women, Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals-- coming together to make this place better. When I first started this work back in 2014, I dreamed, but I did not dare to hope, that we would end up here today. Today, this bipartisan group of legislators is taking a historic step that has plagued this institution for generations. For years, Members of Congress have gotten away with truly egregious behavior by mistreating their staff. A story that will be etched in my memory forever is a young woman who sat in my office earlier this year and told me her story and who said, as she cried, the process was almost worse than the harassment. No more, ladies and gentlemen, no more will that be the case. Thanks to the Me Too movement, the American public has made it clear that they have had enough. They expect Congress to lead; and, for once, we are. Today, I am proud to support the CAA Reform Act. Based on the ME TOO Congress Act, which I introduced last fall, this bill empowers survivors. They will no longer be subject to mandatory mediation. They will be represented by counsel. They will no longer have cooling off periods and periods where they have to be counseled legally, and they have the right to sue. Most importantly, it creates the kind of transparency that we talk about but rarely ever provide, and Members--yes, Members--are going to be held responsible for their bad behavior. We will require them to pay the settlement in full in 90 days. If they can't do that, we will garnish their wages, we will garnish their thrift saving plans, and we will garnish their Social Security. We would not be here today were it not for the unwavering commitment of Chairman Harper, Ranking Member Brady, Speaker Ryan, Leader Pelosi, Congressman Byrne--whom I was delighted to work with on this issue-- Congresswoman Brooks, Congressman Deutch, and the entire Committee on House Administration. This would not be here today but for the majority and minority committee staff, especially Jamie Fleet, who has shown extraordinary leadership, as has Kim Betz, for all the late nights and the lost weekends to get this bill over the finish line. And to my staff, who worked just as hard, to Molly Fishman and to Miriam Goldstein, I will forever be grateful for what you have provided.

Ms. SPEIER. But our work is not done. The Me Too movement is driving change from the boardrooms to the break rooms across our great country. I am committed to ensuring that Congress looks beyond itself to improve the lives of all workers in America. Today, we take a great step forward for the congressional workplace. We show that we can come together across party and geography. Tomorrow, let us continue to work to make sexual harassment and violence in all workplace settings a thing of the past.