Eric Swalwell

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, with this House at this moment considering such important issues for the American people, there is no better person I know than Bishop Jerry Macklin to deliver this afternoon's opening prayer. Bishop Macklin's words are inspiring. His call for national unity and wisdom during these trying times is appropriate. Bishop Macklin knows a thing or two about trying times. He founded the Glad Tidings Church in Hayward, California, in 1978. With a big heart of compassion and a deep devotion to the Lord, Bishop Macklin turned a neighborhood overrun by drugs and crime into a community of faith. Today, Glad Tidings Church has over 1,500 members. Under Bishop Macklin's leadership, the church is not just a place to worship but a center point for care for the community, providing food, affordable housing, and health care to the most in need among us. Just 2 weeks ago, Bishop Macklin opened his church's doors to host an Affordable Care Act forum to help educate my constituents. As the regional Health and Human Services director was explaining to the attendees where they could sign up, I saw firsthand Bishop Macklin's commitment to serve the community. He leaned over to me and said, Eric, our church needs to be at the center of signing people up. And by the time the regional director had finished addressing the attendees, Bishop Macklin had already texted and emailed about a dozen people to make sure that happened. Thank you, Bishop Macklin, for asking God to watch over this House and for your work to watch over our community.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Sirous Sadaghiani, a wonderful 9-year-old boy from Dublin in my congressional district who lost his courageous battle with brain cancer this past weekend. When he was diagnosed 1 year ago, he was given just 6 months to live. But although Sirous had been fighting for his life during the past year, he never gave up and never let his illness get in the way of his curiosity or his kindness for others. I had the privilege of meeting Sirous and his family. He was a smart, passionate boy who lit up a room. I was so proud to see the entire Dublin community rally behind Sirous and his family with a meal train and fundraisers during this difficult time in their lives. This month is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and I am committed to continuing the fight for funding for cancer research so no family has to ever experience losing a child to cancer. Despite his short life, Sirous' story will continue to inspire others. My condolences go out to his entire family--his dad, Reza; mom, Marlene; twin sister, Sima; and brother, Zachary, who were always by Sirous' side as he fought for his life. We miss you, Sirous.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to rise today on the House Floor and recognize the great work of the Hindu American Foundation, which is having its annual Northern California Awareness and Gala Dinner near my congressional district one week from Saturday. There are over 2 million Hindus in the United States, and the Hindu American Foundation works to educate people about their religious faith and protect the free exercise of it around the Nation and across our globe. I'm proud to stand as a Member of Congress with the Hindu American Foundation on issues that are important to me and its members. For example, I worked to get the FBI to collect data on anti-Hindu hate crimes, including sending two letters to ask it to do so. Thanks to this advocacy and the Hindus across the Nation, we've achieved this goal. I've also cosponsored H.R. 717, the Reuniting Families Act, to enable people in the United States to be reunited with family members abroad; cosponsored House Resolution 47, which calls on the Postal Service to adopt a commemorative Diwali holiday; and I also joined the India Caucus. Saturday's dinner will give the Hindu American Foundation members and supporters a great chance to talk about what we've done together and what the future may bring. I also look forward to attending the gala and hearing from my colleague here in the House, Tulsi Gabbard, from Hawaii, who is the first Hindu ever elected to this body and is, rightfully, being honored by the Hindu American Foundation. I'm sure she'll have a unique and insightful perspective for this occasion.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to recognize Dr. Emily Ruffo, administrator of the Hayward Police Department's Youth and Family Services Bureau, who has been named the California School Resource Officer Association's Law Enforcement Administrator of the Year. She'll be honored with this award today at the School Safety Conference in Anaheim. She's been helping kids and families for years, joining the Hayward Youth and Family Services Bureau in 2011. Just this year, Dr. Ruffo was promoted to be administrator of the bureau, and her work has been a great help to Hayward and the entire 15th Congressional District. The bureau Dr. Ruffo leads offers services to youth such as counseling to help keep kids out of trouble. For kids who have violated the law, it offers an alternative to juvenile justice to get them back on the right track. As a former prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney's office, I've worked closely with the Hayward Police Department and know how important this program is. Dr. Ruffo is rightly being recognized for her commitment and care for the children and families of the East Bay. It's people like her willing to dedicate their careers to helping those at risk who are helping to provide us with a brighter future. On behalf of the people of Hayward and the entire 15th Congressional District, I want to thank Dr. Ruffo for her service, congratulate her on her award, and wish her continued success.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, happening this weekend at Pleasanton Valley Middle School. Cancer is expected to strike about 1.7 million Americans this year. As of January 2012, over 13.7 million people with a history of cancer were alive in this country. Sadly, about 580,000 will pass away from the disease in 2013. While we are doing a lot better than we used to in terms of diagnosis and treatment, these numbers show the fight against cancer is far from over. That is why this weekend's Relay for Life is such a terrific event. Participants work as part of relay teams and run or walk around the school track; someone from the team is always on the field, for the entire two-day event, reminding us that cancer never sleeps either. The relay provides an opportunity to applaud those fighting cancer, honor people we have lost to the disease, recognize caregivers, and raise badly needed funds. Relays like this occur worldwide, and over four billion dollars has been raised since the first one in May 1985. The dedication and fundraising efforts of participants play a critical role in helping reach our goal of a future without cancer. Cancer is an issue that affects everyone. Through Relay for Life, communities around the world unite through the knowledge that they are working to help save and prolong lives. Events like this show the best of the East Bay--a willingness to come together in common cause for a larger purpose. I want to thank the event organizers and group supporters: Florine Johnston, Pam Sanchez, Miriam Drummond, Stephanie DaVille, Nilo Bartolome, Larry Coy, Haddy Coy, Kaitlin Gallagher, Sue Schepers, Kimberly Haynes, Janis Wills, Lisa Lundquist, Randy Brown, Lisa Brown, John Swager, Julie Ochiro, the American Cancer Society, Valley Medical Oncology Consultants, and the Rotary Club of Pleasanton North. I wish everyone the best of luck with the relay, and I am proud to join them in their battle against cancer.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, this weekend, Saint Anne Catholic Parish in Union City is celebrating its 40th anniversary festival. Saint Anne was founded in 1860 as a mission in the old Alvarado District before the city of Union City even existed. The current parish was established in 1973 and has been serving the surrounding community ever since. Today, Saint Anne is one of the largest parishes in my congressional district, with over 5,000 parishioners, led by my friend, Father Geoffrey Baraan. With Father Geoffrey's guidance, Saint Anne helps serve the ethnically and culturally diverse community of Union City, and it helps ensure that the church lives up to its core mission, to ``lead with compassion.'' Through its parishioners, youth ministry, and hardworking staff, Saint Anne continues to help the homeless and the hungry of its community. This annual festival serves as a celebration and a reminder of the hard work and selfless service that went into building Saint Anne's. The funds raised during the festival will help the church continue to serve with collaboration, fellowship, and stewardship. I wish Saint Anne all the best and hope they have a great 40th anniversary festival.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to my constituents who are concerned about the viability of Social Security. They want big ideas and long-term solutions. Instead, there are solutions right now and proposals to switch to a chained CPI formula to calculate cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security beneficiaries to save money. This would reduce benefits and only extend Social Security solvency for 2 years. I do not support the use of chained CPI. It reduces the amount of Social Security checks, but not the rising cost of health care, water bills, or other fixed costs that seniors continue to face. The importance of Social Security is evident in the lives of millions of beneficiaries, including my own father and grandmother. It's an earned benefit that these hardworking Americans have paid into their entire lives. That's why I have signed on to House Concurrent Resolution 34 to express my clear opposition to this misguided reduction in benefits. But I don't stand here just to knock down ideas. Instead of reducing benefits through chained CPI, I believe we should raise the cap on payroll contributions. Currently, Social Security taxes are only collected on the first $113,000 of earnings. By raising the cap, we can extend Social Security solvency without cutting benefits. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing chained CPI.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California, Congressman Cardenas, for leading on this issue and for bringing together the freshman class on an issue that is important not just in California but across the country--the question about comprehensive immigration reform and whether it means jobs. We know that it's the right thing to do to welcome the 11 million undocumented immigrants into our country and to put them on a pathway to citizenship. We also know that it's good for our economy, and I am happy to be here today to talk about this. Everyone agrees right now that our immigration system is broken. It must be reformed, not in a piecemeal manner, but comprehensively to meet the needs of the 21st century. I represent a very diverse area, which includes the cities of Hayward, Union City, Fremont, Castro Valley, and San Lorenzo, California, among other cities. In those cities are some of the 11 million undocumented individuals. These are hardworking folks who come here for the same reason that our ancestors came--to make life better for themselves, their families, and their children. We should welcome that. We should embrace that they are choosing to come here to America rather than to go to other countries. It's a very good thing. Tragically, right now, these undocumented workers are in the shadows, putting them at risk for exploitation and allowing for the unscrupulous employer to drive down wages for everyone. It's time to bring them into the open, to provide them legalized status, and to allow them to earn citizenship. We also need to reform our legal immigration process. For example, we need to stop forcing people who come here and study in America--in our classrooms and in our colleges--and become skilled workers in the U.S. to leave the country just when they want to stay and contribute. Not only is making these changes the morally right thing to do; but as my colleagues have been saying and will say tonight, it adds up for our economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the bipartisan Senate bill and found it would increase our GDP by 5.4 percent in 2033, or $1.4 trillion. It's not just the CBO. A paper published in 2012 by the Cato Institute found that comprehensive immigration reform would raise wages, increase consumption, create jobs, and generate additional revenue. It calculated a smaller benefit than did the CBO, but it's at least $1.5 trillion in extra GDP over 10 years. Comprehensive immigration reform is not only the morally right thing to do; it's the economically correct thing to do to get America's economy moving again, and I am honored to stand with my colleagues today to push for this needed reform.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would transfer $1 million to the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or EERE, from administrative funds. I recently organized a letter, joined by almost 80 of my colleagues, calling for robust and sustained funding for this crucial program. EERE's research, development, and deployment programs focus on three major fields: renewable electricity generation; sustainable transportation; and energy-saving homes, buildings, and manufacturing. This program plays a key role in advancing America's all-of-the-above energy strategy, and we must set priorities and make smart, strategic decisions about Federal funding. This is the only way to ensure that this country is prepared for whatever changes the markets may experience. And I thank our ranking member for yielding me the time and allowing me to speak about the amendment, and I appreciate her comments about either you look backward or you look forward or you act forward when it comes to how we get our energy supply. She has talked on the floor today and articulated that our country right now faces a trade deficit, and she's right. Every month, by about $40 billion, we are importing more goods and services than we are exporting. In many cases, that is because of the crude oil that we have to import month after month after month because we are not meeting our own energy needs. And the United States, at our peak production, optimal peak production, we only have about 3 percent of the world's crude oil. However, our country, our consumers, our people, we consume about 22 percent of the world's crude oil. There's a supply problem in this country. We need to not drill our way out of this but invent our way out of this, innovate our way out of this, and the EERE program allows us to do that. Unfortunately, this bill consolidates the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy within DOE and funds the combined programs at about $983 million. The result is a cut to these programs of $971 million below fiscal year 2013. I am honored to serve as ranking member on the Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy because I believe that the Federal Government has a role to play in encouraging energy innovation in this country. This bill does just the opposite by gutting the EERE program. Instead of innovating our way out, rather than drilling our way out, we are doing the opposite. We gut crucial EERE funds. As Washington bickers, our competitors are pulling out all of the stops to capitalize on the booming clean energy program. By cutting the EERE program so drastically now, we all but ensure that the United States will miss out on scientific discoveries that could change the world and transform our economy. With scientific research, nothing is guaranteed, and so we need to be willing to take risks. Scientific progress, after all, has never been a straight line. I come from the bay area, which includes Silicon Valley, where risk-taking is critical to the region's economy. Taking risks means sometimes you will not succeed, but scientific progress requires us to continue to take risks and invest in the future. Only by taking risks and charging forward, as our ranking member continues to emphasize, can we ever hope to reach goals which today may seem out of reach. The United States should be leading the world in the search for better, safer, more affordable energy. Instead, we have a bill before us that makes unacceptable, shortsighted cuts to EERE. While my amendment does not close the gap by any means, it is a signal to our scientists and engineers that we support renewable energy. An overreliance on a limited range of fuel technologies and finite resources is shortsighted. Our strength lies in our ability to transition to a new, cleaner, more sustainable and more innovative source of energy. We must be competitive and not let ourselves get behind, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, it has been an honor to be in this Chamber and listen to the debate that's going on. My colleagues on the other side, their bill seeks to reduce the role that the Environmental Protection Agency would play. I hear words and phrases like ``an unelected body that makes decisions in the night for no one to see or hear.'' But, Mr. Chairman, it is not an unelected body. We have elections in our country, and we had a Presidential election; and elections have consequences. The EPA is an arm of the administration, an arm of a President who was elected with a commanding victory this past November. And to hear that this is an unelected body and work being done in the dead of night for no one else to know about is just not the case. I urge my colleagues on the other side--I was a prosecutor. We would have a trial. I would pick a jury. We would put on evidence. I would give a closing argument. The jury would deliberate, and then we would all accept the verdict. We had the same thing for over a year. We had Presidential debate after debate, TV ads that we were all tired of. Now we have a President who was reelected and an agency that the President is charged with administrating. And it really does disturb me, Mr. Chairman, to think that these agencies shouldn't have any teeth or enforcement to protect our children and the future. But I also rise today to express my concern about the impact that this Energy and Water appropriations bill will have on the important work that our national laboratories are doing. We depend on our national laboratories for the basic scientific research that keeps our country safe and keeps us on the cutting edge of technology. Our national labs are home to some of the greatest minds in the country, and we all benefit greatly when we allow these great researchers the freedom to do what they were trained to do and to explore the scientific questions that they are passionate about. I am fortunate that I am able to represent Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, which are NNSA laboratories and work on maintaining our nuclear stockpile, but also are participating in research that will provide an all-of-the-above energy solution for our future. Right now, however, this bill reduces what the laboratories call laboratory directed research and development. Laboratory directed research and development, LDRD, allows the scientists at the laboratory to work on their own experiments in addition to the work that they do at the lab. Now, in the private sector, Google really was the first company to innovate with this, they call it 20 percent time. One day out of the week an employee at Google would be able to work 20 percent of the work, 1 day, on their own projects for Google. Some of the programs that we all use, like Gmail or Picasa or Google documents came from Google's 20 percent time. Well, the laboratory, their 20 percent time is actually, today, 8 percent time. It's LDRD. This is a way to recruit top talent and retain its scientists with a promise of being able to do publishable work in addition to their classified work. But this bill foolishly cuts LDRD time from 8 percent to 4.5 percent. This will result in less independent science research. It will hurt the ability of our classified labs to recruit and retain top talent and will surely deprive the Nation of scientific discoveries. Additionally, I am concerned about the cuts to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility, also known as NIF. Over the long term, NIF is a fundamental part of providing our Nation with energy security. It also, in light of international treaties that prevent us from conducting nuclear tests below or above ground, allows us to use laser science to test and maintain our stockpile while also participating in nonproliferation programs, which makes our stockpile leaner and meaner. America should be a leader in the area of fusion research. Russia, China, and France have accelerated investments in their efforts to compete in inertial confinement fusion, but they remain behind this premier U.S. endeavor. Ceasing support for NIF would be ceding to those countries or others American leadership in what could be the energy industry of the future. Considering our national security threats and limited domestic energy sources, this is no time to be cutting its capabilities. Unfortunately, jobs at NIF have already been cut and the capacity has been curtailed because of reductions in fiscal year 2013 and the sequester. The funding levels in this bill would make the situation much worse. We must ensure that the United States does not fall behind our competitors and continues to build upon the investments already begun. It is crucial that NIF gets the funding it needs to continue this crucial work. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to carefully consider the damage that these cuts would do at our national laboratories and consider the value of preserving our country's leadership and our role in maintaining our nuclear stockpile and investments in the future of our country through laboratory directed research and development. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. This weekend in Castro Valley, in my district, we have a lot to celebrate. We will be celebrating Castro Valley Pride. I am pleased to recognize Castro Valley Pride and its organizer, Billy Bradford. We will be celebrating the sweet sound of the wedding bells that will be ringing in our district now that our friends and loved ones in the LGBT community, after the Supreme Court ruling, will again be allowed to marry. I was thrilled to know, as many were across my State, that the Supreme Court recently allowed same-sex marriage to resume in California. Love is love, and this decision allows loving gay and lesbian couples to be treated the same as everyone else. These couples and married couples across the country will also benefit from the Supreme Court's decision to strike down DOMA. No longer will the Federal Government be able to treat all same-sex couples as second- class citizens. But the fight is not over. We must make sure that once you are legally married in a State, you don't lose your Federal benefits just because you move to a State that does not recognize same-sex marriage. We also have to make sure that people are not discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This includes protecting against housing and job discrimination, for example. More broadly, we want to make sure that everyone is embraced and valued for who one is. No one should suffer hate, bullying, or rejection for being gay or lesbian. Our diversity is our strength, and we must never forget that. I look forward to celebrating it during Castro Valley Pride this weekend.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley, California, in my congressional district, was recently recognized as one of the Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. The School to Watch program was launched in 1999 to identify high- performing middle schools that serve as a model for other schools to watch across the Nation. These schools, like Canyon Middle School, demonstrate academic excellence, develop programs that respond to the sensitive needs of early adolescence, and provide students with high- quality teachers and resources to support students in their academic goals. This week, at the Ninth Annual Schools to Watch Conference, Canyon Middle School will be presented with this prestigious award. Canyon Middle School will be represented by attendance clerk Adria Anderson- Kelly, Assistant Principal Juan Flores, Assistant Principal Annie Flores-Aikey, math and science teacher Gregory Matawaran, math and science teacher Liz Oettel, and special education teacher Cheryll Rosales. I look forward to congratulating the group from Canyon Middle School this Thursday when they visit my office, and I look forward to hearing more details about how more schools can follow their example of excellence. Congratulations again to the teachers, administrators, parents, and students that helped Canyon Middle School achieve this award. You make me and your congressional district very proud.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. No American should live in fear of becoming a victim of a violent hate crime. In my role as the former lead hate crimes prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, I saw, firsthand, the devastating impact that hate crimes can have on our communities. Sadly, since taking office I have heard from constituents and leaders from the Hindu, Sikh, and Arab American communities about the ongoing threats that they face. That is why in March I sent a letter to the FBI Advisory Policy Board requesting that the FBI add three additional hate crime categories to track anti-Hindu, anti-Sikh, and anti-Arab American hate crimes. Gathering this information will encourage the affected community members to report hate crimes to law enforcement and will help strengthen relationships among communities, local and State law enforcement, and the FBI. I'm happy to report that the policy board followed up on my letter and has recommended that FBI Director Robert Mueller make these additions. Our progress towards addressing heinous hate crimes is possible because of groups like the Hindu American Foundation, who have been tireless advocates for the safety of their communities. I urge Director Mueller to act swiftly on the policy board's recommendation. This important step would extend protection to millions of Americans.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. James ``Buck'' Koonce. Buck recently retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). There he served as the Director of Economic Development and assisted with the management of the Livermore Valley Open Campus (LVOC). LLNL and Sandia National Laboratories have partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the LVOC in order to leverage resources and create a bridge between these national labs and the broader scientific community. Through public-private partnerships with industry, government, and academia, the LVOC involves scientists and engineers from around the world with its unique science facilities, major research and development efforts, industrial collaborations, educational programs, and technology incubators to solve national security challenges. Buck's economic development efforts have leveraged LLNL functions such as intellectual property management, licensing, and sponsored research, to cultivate partnerships with businesses, industries, entrepreneurs, economic development organizations, community stakeholders, and institutions of higher education. This proactive engagement enables the LLNL management team to set priorities and leverage investments in pilot projects, collaborations, equipment, and facilities to ensure continued growth and improved effectiveness. Prior to LLNL, Buck held several senior management positions throughout his 35 year career with the University of California. Buck has been an integral part of the management and governance of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and LLNL. Buck began his career at the University of California at Berkeley's Molecular Biology and Virus Laboratory in 1974, and he then moved to LBNL where he held positions of increasing responsibility in the Offices of Energy and Environment, Computing, and Engineering Divisions, and finally the Director's Office where he lead the development of LBNL's first Long-Range Development Plan. Buck has been active in many DOE-wide initiatives and is well respected by DOE, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the national laboratory community. On a more personal note, Mr. Speaker, Buck has played a vital role in assisting me in the development of my own thinking on economic policy strategies and the appropriate role of our national labs. I was honored when he agreed to serve on my Economic Development Advisory Committee, and I have learned a great deal from him. I want to thank Buck for his helping me and for his contributions to the East Bay, and I wish him the very best as he begins this new chapter of his life.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. This week marks the 50th annual National Small Business Week, where we recognize the importance of the entrepreneurs and small business owners who work hard to fulfill the promise of the American Dream. I saw this firsthand as a Dublin planning commissioner and, later, as a city council member, which is that, when small businesses get off the ground and succeed, the entire community around them benefits and our economy grows. In fact, more than one half of all Americans either own or work for a small business, and they account for about two out of every three new jobs created every year. This Saturday, I went from storefront to storefront in downtown Hayward to speak to local small business owners in my congressional district. To help address the problems that I heard about--not having enough capital to start up or not having enough business-to-business transactions or foot traffic--I introduced the Main Street Revival Act. My bill will allow certain small businesses to elect to defer paying Federal payroll taxes in the first year of operation in order to help offset their costs. Small businesses form the backbone of our communities--opening new storefronts, training American workers and selling goods in our neighborhoods. It's through supporting them that we expand economic opportunity and help make the American Dream a reality.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. I thank the gentleman from Washington. First, I also want to thank my friend, Congressman Pat Meehan, for cosponsoring my amendment. Due to sequestration, the Department of Defense has not been allowing military bands to perform at community events, even when the sponsoring community organization pays for all associated expenses, because the Department of Defense is saying that the reimbursement is never credited to the proper account. Well, this is hard to believe. First, because it's been going on before, where community events have reimbursed the Department of Defense and there have not been any problems that we've been aware of. But since sequestration, they're now saying it cannot be done. Well, this is a civilian force of over 700,000 people. I'm sure that we can find a way to make this work and support our community events. My amendment is simple. It will allow military bands to perform at community events when the hosting organization fully funds the band's expenditures by ensuring that the money from the hosting organization is returned to the relevant department's accounts. This issue came to my attention when a Marine Corps veteran from my district in Pleasanton, California, Brooks Wilson, informed me that at this year's 148th Scottish Gathering and Games in Pleasanton, the Marine Corps band wouldn't be able to perform, even though his organization would fully fund the band's expenditure just as they have always done previously. Public performances by military bands like the Marine Corps band bring a sense of patriotism and community to our cities and towns. They also help enliven events like the Scottish Games, increasing attendance and helping boost and lift economic activity. I ask my colleagues to join Congressman Meehan and I in supporting our military bands and our amendment.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, if we learned anything about the Boston Marathon bombings, it is that real threats exist against our homeland from outside actors motivated by outside forces with great access now from readily accessible materials that they can get on the Internet, and they can become radicalized also on the Internet and can target us here at home with IED devices. I rise in support of my amendment, Mr. Chairman, which would require that at least $97.5 million of the $1.5 billion provided to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for State and local government Homeland Security grants would be used for mass transit security programs. These programs are listed on (1)(E) on page 38 of the bill. The main FEMA and Department of Homeland Security mass transit security effort is their Transit Security Grant Program. I want to start by thanking Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Price for the increase in funding for the account that funds local grant programs for security and terrorism readiness. I organized a letter, signed by 39 other Members of Congress, asking for funding that is sufficiently robust for TSGP, the Transit Security Grant Program, to be able to meet our needs for mass transit security. Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Price listened to our request, and more money will be available for this critical security program. While the FEMA State and local grant account funds a variety of homeland security initiatives, my amendment addresses the critical, if often overlooked, element of mass transit security. Mass transit, which mostly includes bus and rail, is used by millions of Americans every year. In fact, according to the American Public Transportation Association, there are over 10.5 billion passenger trips in 2012 alone. That amounts to over 28 million trips per day. We're fortunate in the East Bay of California, which I am privileged to represent, to have an excellent bus system and the world-famous Bay Area Rapid Transit system, also known as BART. There were over 400,000 BART passenger trips just this past April. Unfortunately, some of what makes mass transit so great, that it is easily accessible and carries so many people quickly through critical urban centers, makes it vulnerable to terrorist attacks. In June 2009, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, summarized the issues facing mass transit, writing the following: According to the Transportation Security Administration transit officials and transit experts, certain characteristics of mass transit systems, such as multiple access points and limited barriers to access, make them inherently vulnerable to terrorist attack and therefore difficult to secure. High ridership, expensive infrastructure, economic importance, and location in large metropolitan areas or tourist destinations also make them attractive targets for terrorists because of the potential for mass casualties and economic damage. Just 2 months ago in April, a plot to target trains in Canada was thankfully disrupted before anybody was hurt. And, of course, everyone remembers the horrible London attacks from 2005, and the Madrid transit attacks in 2004. No American, in any part of our country on any of our mass transit systems, should live in fear of a mass transit attack. And damaging mass transit in our key urban centers wouldn't only harm that particular area but could ripple through our Nation's economy. Transit security means economic security. Everyone has an interest in protecting our public transit systems, and that's where TSGP comes in. Through TSGP, local mass transit systems receive grants to protect and minimize damage from terrorist events. Example of uses include surveillance training, public awareness campaigns, detection equipment, security cameras, and the hardening of infrastructure. The continuing resolution for fiscal year 2013 provided a floor of $97.5 million for mass transit security, before sequestration, of which $10 million was reserved for Amtrak. My amendment would use that same number. And since the bill before us is based on sequestration levels already, that would amount to an increase in the floor for fiscal year 2014 over fiscal year 2013. To provide such broad discretion for the Department of Homeland Security is important. However, I also understand the argument that the Homeland Security Secretary should be able to distribute money based on risk and potential harm. I know some Members may feel we shouldn't set minimum amounts to be spent out of this account. To provide such discretion is important, but it ignores our constitutional responsibility to provide clear direction on how the money is spent. And, it risks certain priorities being ignored. Moreover, the Transit Security Grant Program is a competitive grant program, and so within that framework money would only be distributed based on risk and damage potential. Last Congress, minimums were included for this account when a compromise was developed with the Senate, including for transit security. I hope the same thing will happen again. My amendment gives this House an opportunity to state now on the record that we value mass transit security. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, moments ago, the TSA Administrator announced that he will reverse his earlier decision to allow knives back onto airplanes. Knives will now continue to be a part of the prohibited items list on our aircraft, making our passengers and our crew more safe. This is positive news. However, the administration's desire to zero out this FFDO program-- allowing our trained pilots to be armed on the aircraft--puts us in a position that will put us more at risk, will put passengers and flight crew more at risk. The TSA not allowing knives on planes, that's just one step for passenger and crew safety when we need a comprehensive approach to keep our passengers and crew safe, which would include not allowing knives on planes, which would include risk-based screening, which would include, as my friends from the other side have talked about, increasing funding for intelligence operations to make sure we know who is getting on these airplanes. But it would also mean keeping the Federal Flight Deck Officer program fully funded. This is a program I know about because of a personal friend in Livermore, California, who is a Southwest pilot. I have seen firsthand over the last 7 years how serious he has trained to be ready for this program. As my friend and colleague from the other side just mentioned, they fly down to Texas routinely to train down there, and they are very diligent. They do this many times on their own dime. And a lot of skill and effort is put into their training to make sure that if something dangerous were to happen on that aircraft, they would be prepared. It is a task they take seriously, and it's a task we want them to continue to be supported by in the Federal Government. So, to have comprehensive airline passenger security, we want to restore the Federal dollars for this, put it back at $25 million. And I appreciate that this amendment was offered. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SWALWELL of California

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman from New York pointed out, over the last 11 years we have had zero attacks on our airlines where a knife was involved. Zero attacks. That number cannot get better. However, as we saw on September 11, that number-- tragically--can get much worse. So I rise in support of the Grimm-Markey-Cook-Swalwell-Reed-Jackson Lee amendment, which would prevent the Transportation Security Administration from changing its prohibitive item list--also known as the PIL--and allowing small knives on airplanes. I want to thank the amendment's cosponsors for their hard work on this issue. I also want to thank TSA Administrator John Pistole. Administrator Pistole announced today that the TSA will not allow knives on airplanes. I think this is a strong step forward. And after listening to the stakeholders, his position is now that these knives should not be on airplanes. Like many Americans in our country, I was deeply concerned and confounded when the administrator announced that they would consider allowing knives on airplanes. We saw after September 11 that, as my friend from New York mentioned, zero attacks occurred in our country. We do now have new threats. The threat from liquids or IEDs could seriously jeopardize the safety of airlines and the passengers who ride on them. However, just because we have new threats that are posed against our airline safety does not mean that we should no longer consider old threats. The TSA must learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time. So I was proud to work with my friend from New York to organize a letter, along with Congressman Thompson, as our ranking member on Homeland Security, and objected to that policy--in particular, the failure of the TSA to consult with the key stakeholders who would be most affected by this change, such as flight attendants, passenger safety groups, and transportation screening officers as well. The letter had a total of 133 Members signing on to it. Congressmen Grimm and Markey also organized a subsequent letter with a similar number of Members who signed on to it. Just like my friend from New York, I also worked in law enforcement prior to coming to Congress. I worked as a local deputy district attorney in the district attorney's office in Alameda County. I also served under this Capitol dome as an intern when September 11 happened. I know what terrorists can do if they have a mission to hurt passengers. I also know, as a prosecutor, what a knife can do in a close, confined area. It's not difficult then to understand why so many Members chose to sign on to our letter. TSA's mission, I want to remind the people of this body, is not only to protect the airline passengers from a terrorist attack; it's also to protect passenger safety in general. TSA justified its decision by saying that it would allow the TSOs to move more quickly. However, when you put a limit now on what length of knife would be allowed, what the TSOs effectively become are NFL referees measuring first downs. You can imagine the scene. You have a knife coming through. The TSO can't determine how big it is, so he's got to take out the measuring tape, holding up a long line, preventing him from looking at liquids or other explosives and whether they could bring down an airline. And then he's got to declare if it's allowed or not, all the while bags are still moving through to be screened. This would actually make it harder to detect liquids than make it easier, as the TSA had announced. Had the TSA meaningfully consulted with the stakeholders before announcing its proposal, these issues would have been addressed. But I do appreciate Administrator Pistole and his decision to put the policy on hold to give more time for input. And I appreciate his decision today stating that he no longer will allow knives on board. Our amendment reaffirms the current ban of knives on planes. It would prohibit the TSA from making the change it had proposed and now has backed away from. Our amendment is supported by a number of groups, including the Coalition of Flight Attendants Union, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Coalition of Airline Pilots Association, and American Federation of Government Employees. It's important that we pass this amendment today to show that the House stands with these groups and the flying public in rejecting knives on airplanes. I again want to thank my colleagues who are cosponsors of this amendment--Mr. Grimm from New York, Mr. Markey, Mr. Cook, Ms. Jackson Lee and Mr. Reed. I appreciate their efforts. I encourage all Members to support our amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.