Eric Swalwell

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, tonight is the inaugural Special Order hour of the Future Forum. Today young people across America are asking themselves how they are going to afford their education. And if they are even lucky enough to get an education, how they are going to be able to afford to pay off that education, how they are going to find a well-paying job that can help them pay off that education, buy their first home, start a family, and send their own kids to school. That is the issue that the Future Forum is going to address. We are going to address this issue, the American Dream of homeownership, and something very important to millennials, diversity and equality. Millennials make up about 75 million people of the American population. It is the most diverse generation in America's history. We believe in the Future Forum that we are uniquely suited for this because we are a part of the future too, and it is time that the party of the future starts talking to the future. We will be taking time on the House floor and at events around the country to meet with and listen to younger Americans about how we in government can better ensure that younger Americans have the opportunities that will allow them not only to dream but to achieve. This is a two-way conversation. We will use technology and a collaborative approach in our communications and in our outreach. Our policy priorities are very simple: college access and affordability, job security and entrepreneurship, and equality and diversity. Many of the members of the Future Forum were called to public service because of what happened on September 11. A recent Center for American Progress survey found that the defining issue for millennials is September 11. As I stand in this well, we are just 3 days from the Department of Homeland Security being shut down. I have invited members of the Future Forum to share their own personal story about how they were called to service and what homeland security means to them and their constituents. I would first like to invite down a freshman Member. I yield time to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania, you talk about your call to service and after September 11, and you think back to that day, and I don't know if you remember, but I remember Members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, standing on the stairs of the Capitol, on the steps of the Capitol and singing ``God Bless America'' and ``America the Beautiful.'' It was such a moment of collaboration. Every day since that day, up until now, homeland security and our Nation's security has always been about collaboration and bipartisanship. I just wonder, to hear that the Department of Homeland Security could be shutting down, hearkening back to what you thought about collaboration back then, does that gel, is that the collaboration that you had in mind and you always thought of around our Nation's security?

Mr. SWALWELL of California. I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ted Lieu), someone who has served our country not just in California's Legislature and not just in the Congress but also in our armed services, and is currently serving in the Air Force Reserves.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes taken on Thursday, February 12, and Friday, February 13, because I was traveling with the President and participating in a forum on cybersecurity. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call Vote Number 77 (Previous Question Motion on H. Res. 101): No Roll Call Vote Number 78 (Passage of H. Res. 101): No Roll Call Vote Number 79 (Motion to Recommit H.R. 644, the America Gives More Act of 2015): Yes Roll Call Vote Number 80 (Passage of H.R. 644, the America Gives More Act of 2015): Yes Roll Call Vote Number 81 (Motion to Recommit H.R. 636, the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015): Yes Roll Call Vote Number 82 (Passage of H.R. 636, the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015): No Roll Call Vote Number 83 (Approving of the Journal): Yes

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, this week, the President put forward his budget. Now, this House has an opportunity to put forward one of our own that reflects the values of those we represent. We have a choice. We can embrace and support the President's budget that lifts all Americans up, or we can pass another House Republican budget that keeps Americans down. In California's East Bay, access to child care is going down while costs go up. Access to education has been reduced while costs go up for those who are lucky enough to get in. Paychecks are going down while everyday costs around us are going up. With this budget, we can address and fix these problems for the families we represent. We can expand access to child care and cut taxes for families paying child care. We can pass and expand access to community colleges with tuition-free community colleges. We can see paycheck progress by making investments in transportation and infrastructure. We have a choice. Pass the House Republican budget which will keep families down, or we can lift America up and provide more opportunity for everyone with this President's budget.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to mark January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Millions of people are subjected to sex trafficking or forced labor every year. Each January we take time to recognize the continuing scourge of human trafficking, but it is never easy to accept or believe that this horrible practice still continues in the 21st Century. And this is not a problem only in far off foreign lands--it is happening right here, in our own country. We know this in the East Bay, which I represent, in which there is a significant problem with human trafficking and sex exploitation. That is why we are so fortunate to have Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley fighting back hard against these traffickers and standing up for victims. Earlier this month Nancy announced her office's latest public relations campaign to help raise awareness about the tragedy of sex trafficking and make sure victims know how they can obtain help. She even has a special division within her office, called the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T.) Unit, to fight trafficking. I want to thank Nancy and everyone in the H.E.A.T. Unit for the work they do to help and protect the women and children of the East Bay. It is this kind of diligence and dedication that will hopefully, one day, bring an end to human trafficking and sexual exploitation once and for all.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor four former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and engineers who were inducted into the Laboratory's Entrepreneurs' Hall of Fame on January 20, 2015. The group of former LLNL researchers, who represent the second class of inductees into the Laboratory's Entrepreneurs' Hall of Fame, were honored for developing technologies during or after their laboratory careers that created major economic impacts and spawned important new companies. This year's inductees are Martin Casado, Bill Colston, Fred Milanovich, and David Tuckerman. Between them, these inductees initially started three different companies--an Internet security company, a biomedical company that advanced personalized medicine and a microchip firm. Computer scientist Martin Casado revolutionized the information technology world when he developed software-defined networking (SDN). Casado is currently continuing efforts to upgrade computer networking security, not only for the computer industry, but for banking, retail, health care and homeland security. Bill Colston and Fred Milanovich left LLNL to found QuantaLife Inc. based in Pleasanton which is in my district. In collaboration with Milanovich and other experts, Colston developed QuantaLife's hallmark product, an anti-bioterrorism technology that was converted into medical applications. David Tuckerman co-founded nCHIP Inc., a technology company that developed enhanced microchips and multi-chip module systems. Tuckerman then went on to found Tuckerman & Associates Inc.--an independent technical consultancy firm that helps venture capitalists and industrial clients advance their ideas into reality. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me celebrating these entrepreneurs and honoring Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for supporting their employees' entrepreneurial ambitions.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley on being named by the Lions Club of Livermore as the ``2015 Alameda County Outstanding Citizen Of The Year.'' I look forward to speaking in honor of Nancy this Saturday when she receives her award. I was privileged to work under Nancy for seven years as an Alameda County prosecutor. She is well deserving of this distinguished honor. Nancy was born, grew up, went to college, and graduated from law school in the Bay Area. She rose through the ranks of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office after joining in 1984, becoming Chief Assistant District Attorney and then elected as the first female District Attorney in 2011. Nancy is a stellar, tough, but fair prosecutor, putting countless dangerous criminals behind bars to help protect the Bay Area. In particular, she is nationally known for her work on issues surrounding violence against women, child abuse, domestic violence, and exploitation. She is also a tireless advocate on behalf of victims and their families. Her work has been truly innovative. For example, Nancy created the Heat Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) unit, the first such division in the country dedicated to stopping child sex trafficking and punishing perpetrators. She also established the Alameda County Family Justice Center, a model way to achieve justice for and provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and human trafficking all under one roof. In addition to enforcing the law, Nancy has fought to change it for the better and improve public policy. One of her recent efforts is to achieve an end to the unconscionable rape kit backlog, both nationally and in Alameda County. Nancy has been recognized by many for her achievements. She was awarded the House Victims' Rights Caucus 2014 Lois Haight Award of Excellence and Innovation and was a 2004 inductee in the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame, just to name a few of her honors. I want to applaud Nancy for her latest award. The East Bay is truly fortunate to have her standing up for victims on our behalf.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, as the President noted in his State of the Union address last evening, we should be proud of the progress we have made since the Great Recession. But there is too much to do still on growth, especially on the issue of paycheck progress. For most Americans, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, here is our reality: costs all around us are going up, and wages are staying flat. That is a right angle that is taking American families in the wrong direction. For paycheck progress we must invest in infrastructure, reform our Tax Code so that it is fairer for all Americans, and, finally, ensure equal pay for equal work. Mr. Speaker, instead of addressing these issues, many House Republicans are calling for giveaways to special interests, rolling back critical women's health protections, and holding Homeland Security funding hostage to win political points. Let's be real. In the nineties it was: It is the economy, stupid. You ask any American family today: It is my paycheck, stupid. If we focus on one thing this Congress, let's make sure that it is the paycheck of working-class Americans. The American people deserve better than what is being served up. Let's work together on paycheck progress, not partisanship.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, today we mourn with the people of Paris. Americans stand with Paris and attacks on innocent people everywhere across the world. Terrorists are escalating their attacks on innocent people across the world as we speak. Americans here at home are rightfully concerned, and to protect them, they look to us, their lawmakers. Our greatest responsibility, above everything else we ever do, prescribed to us in the Constitution, is to keep people safe in their homes and in their country. As security measures go up in our country to keep us safe, unfortunately, House GOP leaders are proposing to shut the Department of Homeland Security down. We cannot play politics with our national security. I urge my House GOP colleagues to stand up for security and not shut down the government. Let's put the safety of the American people first and put petty politics aside. Now is the time that we stand strong for the security of everyone.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, who will be retiring in January after over 45 years of service. Bill is an Oakland native and longtime resident of Hayward, California, in the 15th Congressional District. He served as California State treasurer for the past 8 years, and prior to that he served as California's attorney general, which I appreciated as a former prosecutor, especially the work he did on behalf of sexual assault victims. He also served 25 years in the State legislature and 4 years as Senate pro tem. He is known as a strong policymaker and a well- respected leader. As treasurer, he served under two Governors and effectively managed California's budget through the recession. He kept the economy growing through tough economic times, while maintaining key investments and expanding California's 529 college savings program and expanding investments in renewable energy. His leadership will be missed, but he leaves an incredible legacy for others to follow. Again, I want to thank Bill Lockyer for his remarkable career of public service and wish him; his wife, Nadia; and their children the best as he moves on to his next step in public service.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to pay tribute to two legislators, two lions of the United States Congress whom I am honored to have had the privilege to serve with for 2 years. Henry, it is often said that there is nothing more important than one's health, and no one has done more to improve the health of Americans than the gentleman from California, Henry Waxman. He provided better health care for the elderly and poor through improved Medicare and Medicaid programs, offered Federal help to those with HIV and AIDS, and vastly expanded the use of less expensive generic drugs, on and on and on. Henry also worked to advance public health by improving the environment in which we live. This included pushing for legislation to protect the quality of our air, water, and food. Now, George, my neighbor, just to the north, I will never forget the first day I met George. It was in our caucus meeting. He came up to me and he said, ``How old are you?'' I told him I was 31 years old. He said he was about the same age, just a little bit younger, when he was elected. He gave me one piece of advice. He said, ``You are not elected in this town until you are reelected. You go home every single weekend and you represent your constituents.'' I saw George every single weekend flying home on that plane, and I never felt sorry for myself because I know that George went home for the past 40 years every single weekend. He has also stood up and advocated for working families. I am fortunate that, besides what he has done for advocating to increase the minimum wage, he came out to my district and talked to our local brothers and sisters in labor about how he can teach me to work with them and listen to them and advocate for them. He stood up for children to make sure that poor kids across our district, across northern California, have access to education and a better chance to expand upon that freedom to dream. But I think one of the greatest things about George is not just the legacy and the legislation that he is leaving, but also the Members that he has mentored. When you look at the bills George has passed into law, it inspires you to be a part of a place that can do good and can do better. But, perhaps, my favorite memory of George is coming down onto the House floor as George has given an impassioned floor speech. George tends, as you know, to go just a little bit over time, but when he starts to go over time he starts to raise his voice and he starts to bang and bang and bang on that podium as he is standing up for working families and children in our country, and the poor Speaker tries to gavel him down. But never, never, never has anyone been able to gavel down George Miller and what he has stood up for in this Congress. Long live your memory, George, long live your legacy, and may you continue to inspire all of us to do better.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Doug Horner on the occasion of his departure from elected office in my district. Mr. Horner was first appointed to the Livermore City Council in July of 2007 and succeeded to a second term in 2009. During his time in office, he was twice appointed to serve one year terms as Vice Mayor. He has also represented Livermore on a variety of intergovernmental agencies, including the League of California Cities East Bay Division, the Tri-Valley Transportation Council, the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department Joint Powers Authority, and the Intergovernmental Committee with the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District and the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. Prior to serving on the City Council, Mr. Horner was an active member of the Livermore Community, having served on the Livermore Planning Commission, the Design Review Committee, and the City's General Plan Review Committee. Mr. Horner's commitment to open space and the viticulture industry has helped maintain the character and quality of life of Livermore, maintaining the best of aspects of his community for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Horner for his many years of service to the community and wishing him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Anu Natarajan, an exemplary public servant from my district. Anu began her career almost 20 years ago as a member of the City of Fremont's planning staff. She was appointed to the Fremont Planning Commission, with which she served for two years before her appointment to the City Council at the end of 2004. During her time as an elected official, she helped guide the development of Fremont as it transformed itself into an extension of Silicon Valley and oversaw dramatic growth in the high technology and manufacturing sectors of Fremont's economy. Just as importantly, throughout her tenure she has advocated for a community-based planning process to create well-designed, sustainable, and livable communities to further economic growth. Anu also has served important roles for a variety of community and economic development organizations, including the MidPen Housing Corporation and the American Leadership Forum. As a board member of StopWaste.org, she helped establish our country's first countywide ban on single use plastic bags. She also has served for more than a decade as a Commissioner of the Housing Authority of Alameda County. Anu's passion for community building has left an indelible mark on the City of Fremont and her tireless public service sets an example for us all. Anu's tenure on the Fremont City Council ended this month, but she will not soon be forgotten. I want to offer her my thanks for her years of public service and to congratulate her on a job well done.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3438, the National Laboratories Mean National Security Act, legislation that I have introduced that would expand the way in which national laboratories can help protect our homeland. I want to thank the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Mr. McCaul, and the ranking member, Mr. Thompson, for allowing this bipartisan bill to move to the floor. I also want to thank my colleague on the committee, a fellow freshman, Mrs. Brooks, for working with me on this bill. Mrs. Brooks, I understand, is leaving the committee and will be going to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. We are going to miss her. I have enjoyed working with you also as a fellow prosecutor and as someone who has been an active participant in the United Solutions Caucus, trying to find ways that freshmen, Republican and Democrat, can work together. We are fortunate in this country to have a system of Department of Energy national laboratories, at which some of the brightest scientists in our country can work on some of the most complex issues of our time. They are keeping our national nuclear defense secure, advancing clean energy sources, and changing ways to protect us from the threat of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear terrorist attacks. Now it is time to make sure that we maximize the way that our national laboratories and the gifted minds who work there can protect and secure the homeland. I am honored to represent two of these national laboratories, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories, and I look forward to representing them again in the 114th Congress. I want to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of employees at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and our laboratories across the country for their commitment to country and their faithfulness to science and advancing human progress. Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and the remaining DOE labs are truly unique institutions. One part of their uniqueness is their operating structure. This structure has caused an issue, and that is what this bill is designed to fix. It is to maximize and utilize the national laboratories in every way possible to keep us safe and secure at home. Now, to maximize efficiency and agility at our national laboratories, almost all the laboratories are what is called government-owned, contractor-operated--GOCO. While the Federal government owns the labs, they are operated by private sector organizations. Only one is government-owned and government-operated. Here is the issue. The Department of Homeland Security issues millions of dollars in grants every year to State and local agencies. Some State and local homeland security grant recipients have expressed uncertainty about whether or not they can work with Department of Energy national laboratories on homeland security issues with these grant funding sources. As Members know, FEMA offers grant programs, like the Urban Area Security Initiative, to help States, local governments, and other public servant entities to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. In fact, in my district, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Greg Ahern, uses this grant, the UASI grant, to support Urban Shield, which is a comprehensive, region-wide preparedness exercise that prepares first responders in the case of a natural or manmade disaster. The confusion for some recipients may have been caused by the fact that they believe that they cannot use government-owned, contractor- operated laboratories with Federal funds. FEMA may have been under a similar impression or been unclear to recipients on this point as well. These concerns are misplaced. There is no prohibition against using these funds. My bill will make sure, once and for all, that we use and we fully maximize our national laboratories and make sure that every recipient knows these dollars can be used there. My bill would clarify the issue by explicitly including in law DOE national labs as entities with which FEMA homeland security grant recipients could work. Providing this clarification would allow our DOE national labs to fully use their knowledge and experience to improve our homeland security. For example, at Sandia National Laboratories, they are providing modeling and simulations to help jurisdictions develop threat hazard identification risk assessments. Lawrence Livermore houses the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, which provides tools that help us predict and map how chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats might spread in the atmosphere. H.R. 3438 is an important clarification in the law which will allow our scientists at Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, and across the country to more fully contribute to homeland security. As Mrs. Brooks pointed out, it is also a bipartisan idea, and it is a measure that was sponsored by former Republican Congressman and former prosecutor Dan Lungren, so I think it is fitting that it takes two prosecutors to bring it back to the floor here today to fix this. It passed in the last Congress by a voice vote. Some of the best and brightest minds in the world are toiling away right now at our national laboratories. Today, let's make sure that nothing stands in the way of maximizing these public servants' ability to keep our country safe. I urge all Members to support H.R. 3438. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cheryl Cook-Kallio for her long service to the East Bay. Cheryl is a dedicated teacher, with credentials in social science, English, and a supplemental credential in Spanish, in addition to her BA degree in history from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte and her MA degree in history from San Jose State University. Currently teaching classes in Advanced Placement history and government at Irvington High School, Cheryl has taught for over 30 years in the Fremont Unified School District. For her teaching, Cheryl has received numerous awards. These include the 1997 Teacher of the Year from the Sons of the American Revolution and 2005 Irvington High School Teacher of the Year. Cheryl's work has gone beyond the classroom as well. She has coached the Irvington High School We the People team since 2000, and her annually successful team won the California State Championship in 2005. She has volunteered as a leader in Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts as well as served on the board of the Amador Friends of Music. Cheryl also has given back to her community as an elected official; since 2006 she has been a member of the Pleasanton City Council. She has served in a variety of roles in that position, including vice mayor and as a member of the Audit Committee and School District Liaison Committee. As Cheryl prepares to leave the city council after her current term expires, I want to thank her for all she has done and continues to do for the East Bay. We are a better community because of her tireless efforts.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Tim Sbranti as he completes his term tomorrow as mayor of our hometown, Dublin, California. I have worked with Tim in many roles. He has been my high school teacher, coach, friend, and mentor. I have learned a lot from him over the years, but I felt most honored when I worked with him as his colleague on the Dublin City Council. Tim served as mayor from 2008 to 2014. He presided over Dublin during some of our city's most trying and troubling economic times, but even during tough times, Tim's steady leadership led Dublin not just to a balanced budget, but a surplus, and enabled the city to open new parks and provide affordable housing to its residents. Tim did all of this while working collaboratively with his colleagues. He always shared the successes and put Dublin first in every decision. Due in large part to Tim, Dublin was recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League in 2011. Thank you, Tim, for your years of leadership in Dublin. Our All- America City was lucky to have an all-American mayor.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember retired Alameda County Fire Chief Bill McCammon, who passed away on October 13. Bill lived to serve, and he served all who lived in Alameda County. He devoted his life to keeping our community, State, and Nation safe. After serving the Dublin-San Ramon and San Leandro fire departments, Bill took over as the first fire chief of the Alameda County Fire Department in 1993. With Bill at the helm, the fire department took on new responsibilities and doubled in size. He added new divisions, too, including a hazardous response team and a water rescue program. When Bill tragically passed away, he was still working to protect his community, as executive director of the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority. It is this organization that provides for the interoperable communications for dozens of agencies within Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. We should all be thankful for Bill's many years of dedicated service to the East Bay. My deepest condolences go out to his wife, children, family, and friends.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the week of November 15-23 as National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and to honor the distinguished work and advocacy of Adobe Services, a non-profit working in the 15th Congressional District and throughout the Bay Area to end homelessness. The week before Thanksgiving has been designated as National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week to bring about community awareness and to help those in need. Throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season, we must always remember how hunger and homelessness remain serious problems in our communities across the United States. I am proud to have Adobe Services as a strong community partner in the Bay Area working to end homelessness and advocating on behalf of the hungry. Throughout National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Adobe Services has planned several events to engage community members in the Bay Area and raise awareness regarding homelessness and hunger. For example, today, Adobe Services is hosting the ``Feed Your Soul'' performance night at Mission Coffee in Fremont. At this performance night, guests will have the chance to understand more about the impact homelessness has on families and the wider community through artistic renditions. Additionally, tomorrow, Adobe Services will host a candlelight vigil at St. James' Episcopal Church to remember Alameda County residents who died last year while homeless. To combat hunger in the East Bay, Adobe Services also is organizing a food drive to provide festive holiday meals to those in need. Adobe Services not only works to fight homelessness and hunger during this national awareness week, but also serves more than 4,000 Bay Area residents throughout the year. Its mission is to end homelessness by assisting low-income, un-housed people and secure stable and supportive housing. I am grateful for the assistance Adobe Services provides, and I applaud its continued dedication to the homeless community.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, due to operational difficulties of the flight I intended to take, I was unable to be present for the vote taken on Wednesday, November 12. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote number 516, regarding H.R. 4194.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Union City City Manager Larry Cheeves on his retirement. Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University in 1975 and then a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University at Fullerton in 1977. Since then he has devoted his 38 year career to serving California cities. Following jobs with the City of Cerritos, City of Pico Rivera, City of Buena Park, and City of Norwalk, Larry took over as Director of Public Works for the City of Union City in 1989. Union City was in a period of growth at this time, and in his role Larry saw the creation of many new streets, parks, and fire stations. He helped Union City win two Helen Putnam Awards from the League of California Cities and the 1999 All-America City Award. Larry served twice as interim city manager of Union City before earning the position permanently in 2004. Since assuming this role Larry has put together balanced budgets in each year for the city council, despite very difficult economic circumstances. During this time Union City also developed the Intermodal Station District and the Mark Green Sports Center. Larry is an active contributor to our community. He is a member of the Alameda County City Management Association, a board member of the California Redevelopment Association, and a founding member of the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority. On behalf of the citizens of Union City and the entire East Bay, I want to thank Larry Cheeves for his years of dedicated service. I wish him good luck in the years to come.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the construction of a new community health clinic in Pleasanton, which is set to break ground in October. Axis Community Health is the sole provider of health services for indigent and low income families in Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore. For over 42 years, Axis has ensured access to primary and preventative care to residents of the Tri-Valley. The rapid growth of the area's population coupled with changes in family income and changes made by the Affordable Care Act have left the Tri-Valley in need of additional facilities to accommodate residents in need of accessible health services. Fourteen thousand residents rely on Axis Community Health and it is projected that by 2015, 20,000 residents will turn to Axis for medical and behavioral health services. The new clinic, slated to open next summer, will be critical to answering the growing needs of the community. The new 24,000 square foot clinic will house 27 exam rooms, seven mental health counseling rooms, a health education classroom, an on- site patient pharmacy and a laboratory draw station. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the expansion of the Axis Community Health Center and honoring its commitment to ensuring that every Tri-Valley resident, regardless of income, can achieve and maintain good health.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the construction of Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center's (TVHC) state-of-the- art community health center in San Leandro. September 20, 2014, marks the grand opening of this new facility and the center's first health fair. For over 41 years since its founding in 1971, TVHC has delivered culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services to residents of southern Alameda County. The need is undeniable, and in 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that over 195,000 Alameda County residents were uninsured. The unincorporated areas of Ashland and Cherryland, where the new TVHC facility stands, has the lowest life expectancy rate and the highest rates of teen pregnancy, diabetes, stroke and cancer in Alameda County. The new TVHC facility answers the evident need for affordable medical and social services in the area. TVHC is now uniquely positioned to ensure every resident has access to quality service, advocacy, and community empowerment. The new health center continues the TVHC tradition of delivering free and low-cost care with the dignity and respect that every patient deserves. The two-story, 20,000 square foot healthcare facility is equipped to serve 7,200 new patients and will employ 81 professional and administrative staff. This all-inclusive site will serve patients in family practice, women's health and pediatric specialties, dental and health education services. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me celebrating the grand opening of this new community health center, and honoring Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center for promoting good health and well-being in our communities.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. When it comes to climate change, we are facing a stark choice in America. We can do nothing and see if it happens or we can do something, protect our children, and actually grow jobs and our economy. If you believe climate change is not happening, if you are a denier of climate change, you do not need to listen any further. But I do have a wall that I would like to put your name on. I call it the Wall of Climate Denial. Heck, let's put this wall on the National Mall. And I would like to invite all my colleagues across the aisle to put their names on it. And that way our children and grandchildren can visit this wall decades from now and see for themselves who acted on climate change and who stood in the way. If we act, we can start to change course, and that wall would only be a monument to a way of thinking that was on the wrong side of science. If we do not act, it will be a monument to those responsible for the massive loss of human life and economic productivity. It will also be, if we do not act, likely, a wall that is underwater. Global climate change is one of the greatest challenges that we face. And I agree with the previous speaker: there is no question one of the most immediate threats that we face in our country right now is defeating and wiping from this Earth ISIL. But one of the longest-term threats to our own energy security and our existence is global climate change. Last September, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report which states with a 95 percent certainty that human activities are responsible for climate change. This report was based on a rigorous review of thousands of scientific papers published by over 800 of the world's leading scientists making it clear that if we do not act on climate change, if we don't take the necessary steps to halt this change, the repercussions for humans across this globe and the environment will be catastrophic. We need to move forward now at this moment to take the necessary steps to combat the warming of our planet before these impacts become inevitable. I represent the East Bay in California, where people understand the effects of climate change and are willing to do whatever is necessary to take the big steps, do the big things, take some risk to address this and grow our economy. We are facing big energy challenges in this country and around the world. But we know that our old, dirty methods are not sustainable. We know that the dynamics of the energy marketplace are shifting. Far from being stagnant and hopeless, we are now seeing an unprecedented amount and an unprecedented pace of change that was unpredictable even a few years ago. For instance, renewables are penetrating at a remarkable rate, with growth in wind alone outpacing natural gas in 2012. Our responsibility is to make sure that our country is prepared for whatever changes the markets may experience. Overreliance on a limited range of technologies and finite resources is unreasonable. We know that the United States consumes 25 percent of the world's oil. But, at best, we only have 3 percent of the U.S. oil reserves. This is not a problem that we can drill our way out of. That is only a short-term bridge. Our strength will lay in our ability to transition to new, cleaner, more sustainable resource energy future. We must be competitive and not let ourselves get behind. As Washington bickers, our competitors are pulling out every imaginable stop to capitalize on the booming clean-energy economy. It is time for us to get serious about creating green energy policy to enable us to compete more globally. A recent article in The New York Times over the weekend pointed out how far ahead our European friends are. Germany will soon be getting 30 percent, 30 percent of their power, from renewable sources. By contrast, in 2013, renewable sources of energy accounted for only about 10 percent of the United States' energy consumption and 13 percent of electricity generation. Are we any less capable than Germany of harnessing the energy from the wind and the sun? I believe, Madam Speaker, we are not. We are not less capable. But right now, we might be less willing. Step one in addressing climate change is admitting that it is a problem. Too often in Washington we see this false choice, this debate that if we accept climate change as a problem, then it is going to kill jobs, and we should do, therefore, nothing about it. But if we don't accept climate change as a problem, we will never be singing off the same sheet of music. Once we sing off the same sheet of music, we can start to take the steps necessary to address that climate change is indeed a problem. There is overwhelming consensus among scientists across our globe that it is a problem. Here is what we know: the current warming trend is a particular concern because it is very likely that it is based on human-induced activities. The heat-trapping nature of carbon dioxide and other gases was demonstrated in the mid-19th century. Ice cores drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical mountain glaciers show that the Earth's climate responds to changes in solar output, and the Earth's orbit, and in greenhouse gas levels. They also show that in the past, large changes in climate happened very quickly, geologically speaking--in tens of years, not millions or thousands. How about sea-level rise? Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters, that is just under 7 inches, in the last century. As far as global temperature rise, all three major levels of global surface temperatures showed that the Earth has warmed since 1880. Most of this warming occurred since 1970, with 20 of the warmest years having occurred since 1981, and with 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12. The oceans are also rising and warming. The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters of ocean showing a warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. Extreme events, the number of record high temperature events in the United States, have been increasing, while the number of record low temperature events has been decreasing, since 1950. The U.S. has also witnessed increasing numbers of intense windfall events. So once we can address and accept that climate change is occurring, we can end this false debate of, do we do anything or do we do something? And I submit to America that if we do something, not only can we address climate change, save the world, protect our children, we can actually create jobs. My district is home to several businesses and initiatives that are fighting to green our economy and combat global warming but that are also economically successful. In my district, we have a program called i-GATE, or the Innovation for Green Advanced Transportation Excellence. I-GATE is a regional incubator in the Tri-Valley specializing in growing green technology startups. With a network that includes two national laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, with over 7,000 scientists, investors, and advisers, and leading universities and corporate partners, i-GATE has created a unique ecosystem for growing the startups that are working to address our biggest energy challenges. The startups that i-GATE incubates are working to create better lithium ion batteries, provide region- and crop-specific information to farmers on how climate change could change and affect their crop revenue, and create low-cost diagnostics to screen for life-threatening diseases. We also have an interesting company that I had the opportunity to visit at their ribbon-cutting called Siluria Technologies. It is in Hayward, California. And they are pioneering the commercial production of fuels and chemicals made from clean, abundant natural gas and renewable methane. Since its opening in 2013, Siluria has already demonstrated how their technology can be employed to produce gasoline, an achievement that paves the way for the first such commercial facilities producing liquid fuels in 2017. This year, Siluria unveiled a first-of-its-kind development for producing cleaner fuels from natural gas and renewable methane. This accomplishment is an important milestone in moving forward. It represents the last scale upstep prior to full commercialization of Siluria platform technology. Then there is UltraCell. James Kaschmitter, a former employee of Lawrence Livermore National Lab, founded the company UltraCell in Livermore, California. They are designated as a veteran-owned small business, making compact high power, long endurance, off-grid portable power. I also want to tell you the story of a small business in Dublin, California. I visited this small business when they put solar panels on their rooftop just a few weeks ago. Now, their business owner is admittedly a pretty conservative guy. And so I asked him, I said: ``You're putting solar on your rooftop. You know, solar is often affiliated with addressing climate change and investing in renewables, and sometimes conservatives don't always agree with that.'' Well, the business owner told me: ``Eric, this is going to reduce my energy bill, which is about the equivalent cost of a supermarket, by hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.''

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Union City Police Chief Brian Foley as he retires at the end of September after almost 30 years of service. Brian grew up in California before graduating from California State University, Chico, with a degree in business administration. In 1986, Brian joined the Union City Police Department, fulfilling a dream of becoming a police officer. He worked for the Union City Police Department in a variety of areas, including crime scene investigator, homicide detective, and SWAT team member. His hard work and skills propelled him into leadership roles such as SWAT team leader, sergeant, captain, and--since January 2012-- chief. On behalf of the residents of Union City and the 15th Congressional District, I want to thank Chief Foley for his years of dedicated and courageous service. He has played a key role in helping to keep the streets of Union City safe, and he will be sorely missed. I also wish Brian well as he enters the next phase of his life. I am sure he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and children. After so many years of hard work for the people of Union City, this opportunity is well-deserved.