Ellen Tauscher

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent and my friend, Dr. Bill J. James, who is retiring this August as Superintendent of the Pleasanton Unified School District. I applaud Dr. James for his continuous efforts on behalf of the children and their education in Pleasanton over the last 13 years. He is clearly one of the most recognized and revered educational leaders in the Tenth Congressional District and I thank him for the advice and expertise he has so graciously provided me in my first term. In 1985, Dr. James came to Pleasanton to serve as the Superintendent of the then Amador Valley Joint Union High School District and the Pleasanton Joint School District. Prior to his arrival in Pleasanton, Dr. James was the Superintendent of the Paso Robles Joint Union High School District and the Paso Robles Union Elementary School District. Some of the accomplishments in Dr. James' 13 years as Superintendent include the passage of a $85 million school bond in 1988 with 76% of the vote and the passage of a $70 million school bond in 1997 with 77% of the vote, the initiation of a Chamber of Commerce education subcommittee that later evolved into the PPIE Foundation, his appointment by the Governor to the Educational Council for Technology and Learning in 1997, the construction of a 1300 capacity middle school, the implementation of elementary counseling for grades K-5 in 1989 and the execution of a developer fee agreement to ensure that new growth covers the cost associated with expanding enrollments. Dr. James, even with his very busy schedule, has truly been an involved and active member of the community. The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, the Pleasanton Rotary Club, the Pleasanton Fine Arts Council, the Tri-Valley Business Council and the Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation are just a few of the many organizations Dr. James has contributed his time to over the past 13 years. Though Dr. James is retiring as Superintendent of the Pleasanton Unified School District, I take great comfort in knowing that he will continue to reside in Pleasanton. He is an incredible resource on educational matters and he can certainly expect me to continue to take advantage of his expertise. Let me again offer my warmest congratulations for his 13 years of exemplary stewardship of Pleasanton's public schools and his 38 year career in education. I wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, on June 2, my fellow Californians will be voting on Proposition 226, a proposal to handicap the efforts of labor unions by limiting their ability to spend the dues they collect from their members. While Prop 226 is designed to sound attractive to working families, its real purpose is to put an undue burden on union members. Prop 226 would force unions into the unworkable position of seeking written approval from their members each year before spending any of the money for political purposes. Currently, union members who choose to restrict the use of their union dues for political purposes may do so. Prop 226 instead places the onerous burden of unnecessary paperwork requirements on the vast majority of union members who want their unions to act on their behalf. This requirement would limit the free speech of union workers and impose burdensome red tape on the unions. This House recognized the folly of Prop 226 when it rejected similar legislation known as the Paycheck Protection Act most recently. I hope Californians will follow the House's lead by defeating Proposition 226.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Betty Carrell, a constituent from Livermore, California and one of science's true female pioneers. While at Oregon State University in the 1950s, Betty Carrell was the only female student enrolled in the university's engineering program. In fact, because of her welding classes, Mrs. Carrell was the only woman allowed to wear pants on campus. In 1959, Mrs. Carrell graduated and was quickly hired by Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California where she became their first female engineer. After five ground breaking years, where she was the only woman among the 350 engineers at Sandia, Betty left just prior to the birth of her first child. While raising her two children, who it should be noted are now both mechanical engineers, Betty somehow found time to serve on the Livermore School Board, including two terms as its president. Among her other civic activities, she also sat on the Chabot Community College Foundation and the Livermore Chamber of Commerce. In 1984, she returned to Sandia where she worked on a number of projects including solar thermal technology, warhead dismantling programs and toxic waste reduction. Betty is most proud of the environmental management work she did in Washington, D.C. for two years while on loan to the Department of Energy. Earlier this year at the age of 60 and after 20 fulfilling years at Sandia, Betty Carrell retired from the working world. Betty Carrell is truly an inspiration to young woman everywhere who dream of entering the workplace as scientists and engineers. At an early age, she shared her parent's love of math and science so it was a natural for her to want to become an engineer. Betty can be delighted with the progress women have made in the sciences. Of the 630 technical engineers at Sandia today, 107, 17 percent of them, are women. Betty Carrell should take great pride in the trail she blazed for women everywhere in engineering and in the sciences. We in the 10th Congressional District are extremely fortunate to have someone as special and as courageous as Betty Carrell living in our community. I applaud her for her efforts on behalf of women everywhere and I wish her the best in her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. TAUSCHER

Mr. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Kitty Kelly, a constituent from Livermore, California and the daughter of Mr. Wilfred John Kelly, who was an Electricians Mate Second Class in the United States Coast Guard. Mr. Wilfred Kelly entered into military service in July of 1942 at a time when our country was in terrible conflict. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard, served abroad the USS Gloucester, and was Honorably Discharged from service in 1946. Upon leaving active duty, Mr. Kelly was awarded the Honorable Discharge Lapel Pin, nicknamed the ``Ruptured Duck'', as recognition for his honorable service. The ``Ruptured Duck'' is awarded to all members of the U.S. Coast Guard who have served with honor and distinction, and who have been discharged honorably. Mr. Kelly always had a great respect and personal admiration for the space industry. He believed in the necessity of space exploration and was fascinated by our country's ability to expand its pioneering spirit into the reaches of outer space. Sadly, Mr. Kelly passed away on May 28, 1995 and carried with him his admiration for space exploration. Ms. Kelly contacted my office requesting assistance in immortalizing her father's memory. She asked that I contact NASA Operations and forward her request to have her father's lapel pin flown on the space shuttle. After a month of corresponding between NASA and my office, the dream of Ms. Kelly and her father was about to be realized. On April 17, 1998 the Space Shuttle Columbia launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center and on board was Mr. Kelly's lapel pin. Space Shuttle Commander Richard Searfoss agreed to carry the pin in his personal affects bag. Upon return of the shuttle, Mr. Kelly's pin will be returned to the family with a lasting memorial to Mr. Wilfred Kelly. The opportunity to facilitate such a rare privilege is one that I will cherish as a Member of this distinguished body.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Lazio-Gilman-Tauscher amendment and urge my colleagues to support this important provision. This amendment is based on a measure recently introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and was included as part the Senate-based Higher Education Act. This amendment would authorize funding for a demonstration project that would forgive Federal student loans for individuals who have an associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education and who work in a licensed child care facility for 5 years. I believe it is imperative that we as a Nation do more to provide stability in the lives of our young children. Part of that stability comes from them having the same providers teaching them and taking care of them every day. However, trained individuals who want to work for child care centers often cannot enter this field because they are unable to find a job that gives them adequate financial footing to pay back their student loans. On average, the cost of a 2-year degree at a private college is about $12,500. And, unfortunately, child care teaching staff earn on average less than $8 per hour, or only $13,000 per year, for the very valuable work that they do. They earn these low wages despite the fact that they are better educated than the general population. The average salary for child care providers in center-based care is only about $4500 higher than the Federal poverty guidelines for a single adult and is nowhere near the $16,000 per year salary which is considered to be a livable wage for a single adult. It is no wonder, then, that 31 percent of all child care teachers leave their jobs each year for other employment. They simply cannot afford to simultaneously pay back any student loans that they may have and financially support themselves. The Lazio-Gilman-Tauscher amendment would help lower this astronomically high attrition rate among qualified child care providers by providing loan forgiveness for student loans, thus making it financially feasible for knowledgeable providers to actually stay and work in the field for which they were trained. The language in this amendment is based on the Lazio bill, H.R. 3727, a similar provision is in my bill, H.R. 3686, the Model States Child Care Enhancement Act which I introduced a month ago with the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran). Although slightly different in design, the intent is the same. We must do more to help qualified child care providers make ends meet, and we must do more to provide our kids with that level of security in their lives that they require. We must not underestimate the effect this stability has on our Nation's children. Quality is a function of experience. Nationwide, only 32 percent of child care teachers have been employed in their centers for at least 5 years. When teachers have the dual benefit of education and experience, then we as parents can be assured that our children are receiving the highest quality in child care. Let us help those people who have made the educational commitment to caring for children stay in the field and get that valuable experience. I am pleased to work so closely with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and I urge acceptance of this bipartisan, bicameral amendment.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to three innovative child care programs in the 10th Congressional District of California. Kimballs Kids Club, in partnership with the Antioch School District, serves over 100 families in East Contra Costa County. They believe that parental involvement is invaluable, so they hold monthly parent education meetings and have established a Parent Advisory Board to guide programs at Kimballs Kids Club. Kid's Country, located in Danville, offers parents a safe option for after-school child care. Because Kid's Country uses existing school ground facilities, they do not need to put resources into building costs. This enables them to lower child care costs. Finally, Child Care Links, located in the southern part of my district, supports providers through orientation and training programs. They also furnish parents with information on child care options and they act as a consultant to employers to help them plan their child care programs. Please join me in recognizing these three outstanding programs. They are true leaders in the field of child care and I am honored that they are part of my constituency.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Poshard).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the Democratic whip.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I have here a letter from the President of the United States sent by fax this morning from Dakar where he says, The DBE program is not a quota. The existing statute explicitly provides the Secretary of Transportation may waive the 10 percent goal for any reason and that this benchmark is not to be imposed on any State or locality. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), ranking member of the committee.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek). (Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender- McDonald).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Boswell).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)