Eric Swalwell

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Father Geoffrey Baraan in celebration of over a decade of dedicated service as Pastor of St. Anne Catholic Church in Union City. Before Father Geoffrey became a priest he was a counselor, a role that helped him understand the many needs and concerns of the people to whom he has ministered. He entered St. Joseph College Seminary in Los Altos in 1990 and completed his studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park. Diocese of Oakland Bishop John Cummins ordained him to the priesthood in 1997, and he began serving as parochial vicar at St. Augustine Parish in Pleasanton. Later he was appointed parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Pinole and then as parochial administrator at St. Ignatius Parish in Antioch in 2001. In 2005, he assumed the role of Pastor at St. Anne. During his time as Pastor, Father Geoffrey was a beloved figure who inspired countless people. His compassionate communal leadership fostered unity in one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse parishes in the Diocese. He shepherded a ``living church'' where parishioners practiced their faith through service to others. Today, due to Father Geoffrey's leadership, St. Anne is one of the largest parishes in my congressional district, with over 5,000 parishioners. In addition, ministry groups have thrived while faithfully and effectively serving Union City and the entire Tri-City area. They have established a variety of programs to assist the homeless and hungry in their community. Father Geoffrey was also instrumental in establishing S.M.A.R.T., which stands for ``St. Anne Medical Action Response Team.'' He helped assemble a medical team of over 80 volunteers, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and other health professionals to provide first aid and basic care to parishioners during all of the often- crowded weekend services. Father Geoffrey will begin a new ministry starting on July 1, 2016, when he becomes Pastor of St. Joseph's Church and School in Pinole. I wish to thank Father Geoffrey on his contributions to the 15th Congressional District during his time at St. Anne, and I wish him well in his new assignment.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. ``At the end of the hearing, the trial, I was too tired to speak. I would leave drained, silent. I would go home turn off my phone and for days I would not speak. You bought me a ticket to a planet where I lived by myself. Every time a new article came out, I lived with the paranoia that my entire hometown would find out and know me as the girl who got assaulted. I didn't want anyone's pity and am still learning to accept victim as part of my identity. You made my own hometown an uncomfortable place to be. ``You cannot give me back my sleepless nights. The way I have broken down sobbing uncontrollably if I'm watching a movie and a woman is harmed, to say it lightly, this experience has expanded my empathy for other victims. I have lost weight from stress, when people would comment I told them I've been running a lot lately. There are times I did not want to be touched. I have to relearn that I am not fragile, I am capable, I am wholesome, not just livid and weak. ``When I see my younger sister hurting, when she is unable to keep up in school, when she is deprived of joy, when she is not sleeping, when she is crying so hard on the phone she is barely breathing, telling me over and over again she is sorry for leaving me alone that night, sorry sorry sorry, when she feels more guilt than you, then I do not forgive you. That night I had called her to try and find her, but you found me first. Your attorney's closing statement began, `[Her sister] said she was fine and who knows her better than her sister.' You tried to use my own sister against me? Your points of attack were so weak, so low, it was almost embarrassing. You do not touch her. ``You should have never done this to me. Secondly, you should have never made me fight so long to tell you, you should have never done this to me. But here we are. The damage is done, no one can undo it. And now we both have a choice. We can let this destroy us, I can remain angry and hurt and you can be in denial, or we can face it head on, I accept the pain, you accept the punishment, and we move on. ``Your life is not over, you have decades of years ahead to rewrite your story. The world is huge, it is so much bigger than Palo Alto and Stanford, and you will make a space for yourself in it where you can be useful and happy. But right now, you do not get to shrug your shoulders and be confused anymore. You do not get to pretend that there were no red flags. You have been convicted of violating me, intentionally, forcibly, sexually, with malicious intent, and all you can admit to is consuming alcohol. Do not talk about the sad way your life was upturned because alcohol made you do bad things. Figure out how to take responsibility for your own conduct.''

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes taken Tuesday, June 7, due to it being primary election day in California. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call Vote Number 269 (Passage of H. Con. Res. 129): YES Roll Call Vote Number 270 (Passage of H.R. 4906): YES Roll Call Vote Number 271 (Passage of H.R. 4904, the Making Electronic Government Accountable By Yielding Tangible Efficiencies (MEGABYTE) Act of 2016): YES Roll Call Vote Number 272 (Passage of H.R. 1815, the Eastern Nevada Land Implementation Improvement Act): YES

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mrs. Rosalinda Valencia ``Linda'' Canlas on her retirement as Principal from Faith Ringgold Elementary School in Hayward, California. Linda has been an active proponent of public education throughout her career. She has instilled a sense of leadership, moral courage, and personal responsibility in the many students that have had the privilege to be seated in her classroom. Her dedication to those students who were not well served by other schools is commendable. While serving as principal, Linda has actively sought to implement a program to improve the quality of education, introducing effective teaching practices, standards-based curricula and a culture of effective collaboration between school staff and parents. Her efforts have proven to be successful, with Faith Ringgold seeing a 28 percent increase in academic performance over a three-year period. She was elected as a Trustee to the New Haven Unified School Board in 2010, and she has served as a Board Member, the Clerk, and the Board's President. She helped spearhead the movement to rename Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School, honoring the farm labor leaders who worked alongside Cesar Chavez. Linda's dedication to our community extends beyond her commitment to education. She is an active member of her local parish, and serves as a committee member of the Ukulele Festival of Northern California. She has also raised her family to share in her dedication to public service. She is the proud mother of two daughters. One is now a licensed attorney and the other is beginning a career of her own as a public school teacher. Linda's commitment to the students at Faith Ringgold and in schools across the Hayward and New Haven Unified School Districts is truly extraordinary. I want to acknowledge her for her dedication to a sustainable future and congratulate her on her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Carol Shimizu on the occasion of her retirement after 48 years of dedicated public service as an educator. Carol's educational career began in 1968 as a preschool and kindergarten teacher in Germany. She moved to San Jose where she went on to become a high school English and childhood development teacher and later an administrator. Shimizu was hired as principal of Dublin High School (DHS) in 2004. Under her stewardship, both the physical and academic environment at DHS has been transformed, and the school is now widely regarded as one of the top high schools in California. The rate of students heading to four-year colleges has risen dramatically, with graduates going on to the nation's most prestigious colleges, universities, and postsecondary programs. DHS saw its Academic Performance Index (API) climb every year during her tenure, jumping from 793 to an all-time high of 880 in the last year the API was measured by the state. The number of honors and AP courses offered increased from 12 to 24, while both enrollment and scores for students taking AP, SAT, ACT, and PSAT rose dramatically, earning DHS AP Honor Roll status from the College Board. Carol successfully initiated Academies and Pathways in Engineering, BioMedical, Culinary Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, and Digital Media. DHS also implemented a comprehensive College and Career Readiness program for all students, including the addition of the ``Gael Period'', Freshmen Seminar, and the Freshmen Mentoring Program. In addition, under Carol's leadership DHS's facilities have been extensively modernized, remodeled, and rebuilt to support 21st century learning. The $120 million of renovation and expansion overseen by Carol has successfully accommodated a campus population that has nearly doubled during her time as principal. Carol has fostered lasting, productive partnerships in the community and has laid the groundwork for an ever-expanding offering of programs and opportunities for all DHS students. I wish to congratulate her on a long and distinguished career, and wish her health and happiness in retirement.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dr. Stephen Hanke on the occasion of his retirement after 44 years of dedicated public service as an educator. Dr. Hanke served as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent in four school districts before being appointed as Superintendent of the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) in 2006. Under his stewardship, DUSD has attained unprecedented levels of achievement. DUSD saw its Academic Performance Index (API) climb every year during his tenure to an all-time high of 904 in 2013, the last year the API was measured by California. As the new Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAC) scores were released last fall, DUSD was once again among the highest-performing school districts in the state. Dr. Hanke successfully transformed the culture and defined DUSD's core values by creating and implementing the Vision 20/20 Strategic Plan. DUSD became focused on continuous improvement through the development of a Professional Learning Community. As a result, six schools earned the distinction of being named a California Distinguished School. Under Dr. Hanke's leadership, DUSD also created a STEM Enrichment Academy and emerged as a regional leader in putting technology in the classrooms. The infusion of STEM combined with some of the state's most rigorous graduation requirements have made students more prepared for college and career success than ever before. In addition, Dr. Hanke's tenure coincided with a period of rapid expansion, as he oversaw 40 modernization projects and the addition of three elementary schools and a middle school. The signature enhancements were $120 million of renovation and expansion at Dublin High School, which is now regarded as one of the premier campuses in California. Despite the pressures of managing growth, DUSD maintained financial stability even through the most difficult times. Dr. Hanke has fostered lasting, productive partnerships in the community and has laid the groundwork for an ever-expanding offering of programs and opportunities for all Dublin students. I wish to congratulate him on his long and distinguished career, and wish him health and happiness in retirement.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes taken last Wednesday and Thursday, May 18-19, due to a family health emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call Vote Number 200 (Passage of H. Res. 735): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 201 (Adoption of the Previous Question on H. Res. 736): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 202 (Passage of H. Res. 736): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 203 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1014 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. David McKinley): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 204 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1016 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Jerrold Nadler): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 205 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1019 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Ted Poe): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 206 (Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 207 (Passage of H.R. 5243, the Zika Response Appropriations Act, 2016): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 208 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1029 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Ken Buck): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 209 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1030 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. John Fleming): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 210 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1033 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Barbara Lee): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 211 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1034 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Jared Polis): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 212 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1036 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Keith Ellison): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 213 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1037 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Keith Ellison): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 214 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1041 to H.R. 4909 offered by Rep. Mark Sanford): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 215 (Motion to Recommit H.R. 4909): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 216 (Passage of H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 217 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1057 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Mick Mulvaney): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 218 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1058 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Mick Mulvaney): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 219 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1059 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Mick Mulvaney): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 220 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1060 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Mick Mulvaney): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 221 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1062 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Earl Blumenauer): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 222 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1063 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. John Fleming): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 223 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1064 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Jared Huffman): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 224 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1075 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Paul Gosar): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 225 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1076 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Scott Perry): NO. Roll Call Vote Number 226 (Passage of H. AMDT. 1079 to H.R. 4974 offered by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney): YES. Roll Call Vote Number 227 (Engrossment and Third Reading):

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague, the ranking member from California, for yielding the time today, and for leading and presiding on our side over this bill. I would also like to thank the staff on both sides for their hard work on this year's Intelligence Authorization Act, or the IAA. I also appreciate the opportunity to stand here in support of this year's bipartisan IAA. We ask a lot of our intelligence community when it comes to collaboration. When they collaborate, they best keep us safe. What we are doing today is we are sending to the floor a bill that reflects our own collaboration and shows that what we expect of them, we can also deliver to the House floor. I am pleased that this bill promotes our national security around the globe and, in particular, our human intelligence capabilities, which still, I believe, remain at risk and could benefit from an even greater focus within the IC. I am also pleased that the IAA includes, as a stand-alone provision, the Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act that Representative LoBiondo and I brought to the floor earlier this year, which passed the House unanimously and helps track the foreign fighter flows to and from terrorist safe havens abroad, a growing problem in today's world. This year's IAA committee report also includes a provision I added requiring a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, analyzing the status of student loan forgiveness and debt counseling programs across the IC and the viability of IC-wide programs. As student debt continues to cripple this generation, we must determine the best incentive packages available to young intelligence officers abroad and here at home in order to continue to recruit and retain the best, brightest, and most diverse to public service, regardless of their financial situation because they went to college. I am also pleased that this bill calls for a report from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy on their current utilization of national labs expertise, and opportunities for areas of expansion. My own congressional district is home to two of these labs--Lawrence Livermore and Sandia. I have seen firsthand how they work to strengthen our national security. Just as we must train and retain the best and brightest of the IC, we must continue to leverage the great talent found in our national labs. I encourage all of our Members to support this year's collaborative bipartisan IAA.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the City of Hayward's Water Pollution Control Facility (``Facility'') on its pioneering accomplishments in green energy and waste management. In 2010, the Facility was costing Hayward approximately $578,000, which was about 20 percent of its total energy cost and 10 percent of the Facility's budget. It also produced approximately 20 percent of Hayward's greenhouse gas emissions. The year before, the City had adopted its Climate Action Plan with a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020. Part of this effort was to improve the Facility, allowing it to generate all of its own power with clean or renewable energy sources, but without tapping into Hayward's general fund. Using outside funding, including multiple incentive programs from the California Public Utilities Commission, the Facility was able to utilize four new technologies to move from energy consumption to production. The Facility is now able to export the excess energy it creates and saves Hayward an estimated $400,000 each year. Some of these technologies also help reduce the environmental impact to the community. The Facility's new digesters, which convert bio-waste to energy, accept waste fats, oils, and greases from the area to help fuel them, keeping those wastes out of landfills. The Facility also sends treated, non-potable water to a nearby power plant, reducing the cost of pumping the water into the San Francisco Bay, and better harnessing water resources in this time of severe drought. The Facility's revolutionary measures have recently been recognized by organizations across the country. In October 2015, the EPA selected it for the Green Power Leadership Award. On May 26, the Facility will receive the Bay Area's oldest environmental award, the Acterra Business Environmental Award. The Facility's commitment to the Hayward community and environment is truly extraordinary. I want to acknowledge it and the City of Hayward for their dedication to a sustainable future.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Sandia National Laboratories of Livermore. Through 60 years of collaborative research and pioneering to solve our nation's security issues, Sandia's workers have focused on keeping America's technology on the cutting edge. From nuclear stockpile stewardship to chemical weapons disposal, from cybersecurity to fuel cells, their work has made every American safer. I am particularly thankful for Sandia's Energy and Climate program, which works toward a secure energy future for our nation. Moving us toward a sustainable, domestically sourced energy supply and more reliable infrastructure might be among the greatest gifts they are giving to Americans for generations to come. Our cars are cleaner, our cybersecurity is stronger, and our energy options are widening because of Sandia's innovative work that will help maintain America's position as a premier technological leader. Sandia has become an integral part of the Livermore community, helping to turn the area into a bustling and vibrant center of innovation. The entire 15th Congressional District is better for it. I am honored to represent the great minds of Sandia's workforce, and would like to congratulate them on 60 years of innovation and groundbreaking science.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes taken yesterday, Monday, May 16, due to a family health emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call Vote Number 194 (Passage of H.R. 4743, the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2016): Yes. Roll Call Vote Number 195 (Passage of H.R. 4407, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2016): Yes.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dick and Annette Warren of Hayward on the occasion of their passing away on March 23 and February 20, 2016, at the ages of 89 and 86, respectively. After serving in the Army during World War II and graduating from Cal, Dick joined his father's company, Warren Transportation, later becoming the company's president until his retirement. Dick was dedicated to the Hayward community where he lived, learning the value of giving back from his parents. He was a member and president of the Hayward Rotary Club, receiving a Paul Harris Fellowship for his contributions. Dick was also a member of organizations like the Hayward Area Historical Society, the California Trucking Association, and Rowell Ranch Board of Directors, among many others. Annette, an alumna of the year from Holy Names High School in Oakland and a graduate of the San Francisco College for Women Lone Mountain, served as a teacher at Sherman Elementary in San Francisco. Annette was a member of the All Saints Parish in Hayward, hosting a Bible study class, the Order of Malta, where she served on projects to help the sick and the poor, and the St. Rose Hospital Foundation. Dick and Annette were married in 1956, initially living in Castro Valley. They later moved to Hayward and raised their five sons, Guy, Richard, Jr., Rex, Garin, and Rob. They loved their family and friends, delighting in parties and celebrations. The Warrens' commitment to the Hayward community was truly extraordinary. I want to acknowledge them for their remarkable work and pass along my condolences to their family and friends.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 699, the Email Privacy Act. Current law protecting electronic privacy is drastically out of step with modern technology, and H.R. 699 represents a long overdue update. This bill would provide Americans the privacy protections in their electronic communications they expect and deserve. While it is important that the House advance H.R. 699 today, no bill is perfect. Law enforcement has raised a few concerns about it, such as that it does not provide them the ability to access to critical information quickly enough. As a former prosecutor, I take their views seriously. I hope we can continue the dialogue with law enforcement and consider ways to improve the bill as it moves along in the legislative process. I encourage all Members to support H.R. 699.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, together with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Congressman Sam Farr, Congressman Michael Honda, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman Jerry McNerney, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and Congressman Mike Thompson, I rise today to congratulate the Golden State Warriors on breaking the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular-season wins record on Wednesday. With the whole world watching, the Warriors' 73rd victory broke the Chicago Bulls' record that stood for twenty years. This achievement is a prime example showing the Warriors' resilience, ``Strength in Numbers,'' and status as among the best teams ever. This incredible journey began with the best start to a season, with 24 wins in a row, and ended with 39 wins and just 2 losses at home at Oracle Arena. We are so proud to represent the Golden State Warriors in Congress as well as the best fans in the NBA, #DubNation. Throughout this season, the Warriors have been a thrill to watch. They have truly reinvented the game of basketball. But, it is not just their skills that shine. Both on and off the court, they have shown the power of hard work and unity. Time after time, the Warriors have proven their love for our community and served as powerful role models. We are so honored to have these incredible athletes and men in our community. Thank you to owner Joe Lacob, president Rick Welts, head coach Steve Kerr, interim head coach Luke Walton, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala, and all of the talented players, coaches, and staff who made this record possible. We look forward to our Warriors bringing home the Larry O'Brien Trophy once again this summer. Go Warriors, and Go Dub Nation.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Future Forum to provide an update on our past year's work and activity and to discuss the work we must still do to move America's millennials forward. Yesterday, April 12, marked the 1-year anniversary of Future Forum, and what a year it has been. I encourage everyone at home to follow along as we talk about these issues this afternoon at #futureforum on Twitter or Instagram and Facebook. Send us your questions. I will look at them live here on the floor and talk about them and continue the dialog beyond today's conversation. Our membership has grown from 14 members a year ago when we started, to 18 of the House's youngest Members. We have traveled to 14 cities now across this great Nation, from San Diego, California, to Manchester, New Hampshire, and to, most recently, last week, hosted by Representatives DeGette, Polis, and Perlmutter, Denver. We were even joined there in Denver by our House Minority whip, Steny Hoyer. On each visit we talk to young people at universities, community colleges, coworking spaces, and startup companies, to learn about the issues most important to them, the issues that they are finding as their own personal barriers to success. Overwhelmingly, we have heard millennials across the Nation share that they are most concerned about issues relating to student loan debt, college affordability, climate change, and campaign finance reform. I want to talk about a few of these issues, and I first start with student loan debt. At many of these sites with a polling app we ask people: What issue is most important to you? Across the country, the issue that we have seen most often, regardless of what part of the country we are in, what crowd we are in front of, has been student loan debt. Now, this is an issue that is very personal to me. I just brought my own student loan debt just under $100,000 within the last few months; and I have seen, in my own life, in my constituents' lives in California's East Bay and with the people we have talked to at these Future Forum discussions, that student loan debt has put an entire generation into financial quicksand, and it affects almost every life decision that young people are making. The biggest decisions you will make in your life: the decision to start a family, we are delaying that decision by about 5 years later than the generation before us; the ability to buy a house, we are perhaps the least home-owning generation America has ever known; the decision and the ability to go out on your own and start your own business--well, actually, millennial entrepreneurship is on the decline. From 2014 to 2015, 5 percent fewer millennials started a business. How is that? You look at Silicon Valley, you look at Silicon Alley, you look at Silicon Beach, you look up in the Northwest at Silicon Forest, you see all of these startups across our country and you think, well, this is the startup generation. In fact, we are more risk averse than you would think. It is because of the student loan debt that we carry that makes it so hard to go out on your own to find that capital you need to take that risk to start a business to create jobs that will help grow our economy. These are the four issues we are seeing that student loan debt is affecting: starting a family, buying a home, starting a business, and then, finally, being able to save. We are also the generation that has saved the least of any generation that has ever come before us. And it makes sense, right? Every month, you have approximately 40 million young people, with $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, hundreds of dollars each month going out the window, going to pay off this debt, making it very hard for you to rent near where you work, let alone even realize that American Dream of homeownership. Now, while higher education also remains a worthwhile investment, we have found on our tour that, by 2018, 63 percent of new jobs will require a college education. But here is the problem. The cost of college continues to go up. One of our biggest challenges, perhaps, is making and having generations that have come before us understand that what they experienced 30, 40 years ago, is just not what young people are going through today. It is apples and oranges in terms of experiences. In fact, the cost of college tuition has gone up higher and faster than any other good or service that Americans consume. In California, for example, in the sixties and seventies, if you were qualified and you were able, you could go to a UC--University of California--school and walk away with, essentially, a debt-free education. The return on that investment, when Californians and the Federal Government valued public education as a public good, was a workforce that built the greatest tech and biotech economy that the world has ever seen. The tech economy that drives northern California, the biotech economy that is thriving down in San Diego, the minds that are powering the inventive forces in the entertainment industry down in Los Angeles, that is the return on investment that we received when we treated education as a public good in California, and you could have an UC degree and walk away with a debt-free education. Now, an issue that is also important to millennials and new to Future Forum and affecting young Americans is the issue of diversity in the tech industry. We love the tech industry in California. It has created so many new jobs and a lot of traffic to go with it, but people who are driving to good-paying jobs. Silicon Valley in the bay area is at the helm of America's burgeoning tech industry, which is constantly developing innovative ways to interact within a global environment and compete in the 21st century. These cutting-edge companies are creating new ways to communicate, travel, buy, sell, and listen. The tech industry is led by some of the best and the brightest our Nation has to offer. But there are some statistics about the tech industry I want to share with you that are quite disturbing. The tech industry is not as diverse as California or our country is. Millennials are at the center of this industry. They are the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. By 2020, millennials will make up 50 percent of the global workforce. However, over the past 2 to 3 years, major concerns have been raised that tech lacks one major component. We are the largest workforce America has ever known, and we are the largest and most diverse generation America has ever known, but the tech industry is missing a diverse workforce. Despite making up significant portions of the U.S. population, women and minorities are drastically underrepresented in this industry. Let me give you an example. In the United States, women compose 50.8 percent of our population. However, women only make up about one-third of the tech workforce. Ethnic diversity in tech tells a similar story. Eight percent of the tech workforce is Hispanic, 7 percent is African American, 23 percent is Asian, and 60 percent is White. How can we resolve this? Many tech firms have made great strides toward improving workforce gender and ethnic diversity by releasing workforce data and creating internal programs to address this disparity. However, action must continue to be taken every single day to address the root of the problem, like improving access to STEM education. The tech industry also needs to seriously examine recruitment measures in order to encourage a more diverse workforce. I recently introduced the STEM K to Career Act. This bill would provide Federal loan forgiveness for STEM teachers in low-income schools, create a tax credit for paid STEM internships and apprenticeships, and ensure that 7 percent of Federal Work Study funds are used for STEM jobs. This would help make sure that every corner in America, every classroom across our country, is treated equally and receives the same amount of funding for STEM and make sure that every child has that freedom to dream. I am also a cosponsor of Representative Rick Larsen of Washington's Youth Access to American Jobs Act, which will connect students to training in STEM skill positions to prepare them for well-paying jobs. Just last month I signed a letter urging for an increase in Federal support of Hispanic-serving institutions. Someone in the House who has worked on this issue who is my neighbor in the east bay and someone I have been proud to serve with is Congresswoman Barbara Lee. I would like to welcome my distinguished colleague to add to this discussion. I will start, Congresswoman, by asking: This is an industry that has expanded beyond just San Francisco and Silicon Valley. We are seeing major investments put into Oakland and also out in the tri-valley. What are you hearing back in the bay at home, outside of that Warriors fever--because tonight they are going to set the NBA's single- season wins record--but outside of that fever, what are we hearing at home about the tech industry and what we can do better?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. One year.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Do you think that shining a light on workforce data is probably one of the best ways to kind of reverse an unconscious bias, that unless you are forced to look at the numbers and the behaviors of your company, you are not going to make a change that results in having a diverse workforce?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. In your district, you have one of the best universities in the world, UC-Berkeley, and we have heard on our Future Forum's tour from young students who are either right out of college or about to be out of college that the amount of debt they have is driving the decision about where to work, that a lot of times their choices are limited to where their parents live because they know they can't afford to live in the bay area. So they are going to have to boomerang back home with their parents who have just gotten used to their being out of the house. So what have you heard from the students or the recent graduates in your area about how student loan debt is affecting major life decisions?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. A lot of times I have told young people our generation is the least home-owning generation America has ever known. In the bay area and the L.A. area, they say: Forget home owning. We just want to be able to rent near where we live. Right now, rents are so expensive. Oakland now ranks in the top five most expensive rent cities.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. As we talk to young people and we listen to these stories across the country, it is heartening, though, to offer solutions. I know you are a part of many of the solutions that the Future Forum has been promoting. One of them is the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing bill-- it is Joe Courtney's bill, our colleague--which says that if the banks can refinance at the lowest rate, if a homeowner can refinance at the lowest rate, and an auto loan can be refinanced at the lowest rate, why can't our students refinance at the lowest rate? Why should they have to pay so much money in interest and not get more competitive rates?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. In the bay area, young people are so collaborative and inventive that they have powered this innovative innovation economy. Then they look at Washington and they wonder, why isn't the majority party in the House collaborating on these student loan bills? If you look at every student loan bill that is out there right now, I think 9 out of 10 of them have been offered by our side. This is an issue that should not be owned by a political party. People are hurting out there.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. I don't know if you have any constituents who are in bankruptcy because of student loan debt, but we found that three things in this country will follow you to your grave and have no statute of limitations: murder, treason, and student loan debt. We have constituents who have had their Social Security garnished because of outstanding student loan debt and people who cannot discharge as they get that second chance in life, that jubilee that bankruptcy is, they can't discharge their student loan debt. It hangs over them until they go to the grave.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. Another bill we have to support that is the Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act, offered by Congressman Cohen of Tennessee, who seeks to address this issue and relieve young people from having to have this follow them for a lifetime. Congresswoman, I am glad you came to join us to talk about diversity in tech and about larger Future Forum goals. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the east bay and across our country to take as many young people as we can out of financial quicksand.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. That is right. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Lee. I also see in the House with us this afternoon is another California colleague, someone who I was hoping maybe could talk a little bit about what students in her part of California are going through, one of the youngest Members of the House as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres). Congresswoman, we are just talking about student loan debt. In California, we have got the greatest education system in the world, but because of the amount of student loan debt young people are facing, it is just putting them, as I said, in financial quicksand. We have got a lot of solutions here in the House. Is there anything you are hearing in your Congressional District from young people and what they want to see from their leaders?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. We are celebrating a year of the Future Forum tonight.