Lynn Woolsey

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the urgent need for the United States to begin direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program. Time is of the essence. The United Nations reported last week that Iran has more enriched uranium than the world knew and is now capable of building an atomic bomb if it continues with its enrichment program. Iran also recently put a satellite into orbit showing that it has the ballistic missile capacity to deliver a nuclear weapon against an enemy. The Iranians insist that their nuclear program is for peaceful domestic purposes only, but their nuclear program has raised fears in the Middle East and made that region an even more unstable and dangerous place. Mr. Speaker, Iran's advanced nuclear program shows that the Bush administration's policy of refusing to talk was a dismal failure. It called Iran part of the ``Axis of Evil.'' Then for nearly 8 years the Bush administration's approach consisted of saber-rattling and threats of war, and look where that's gotten us. Absolutely nowhere. As someone who strongly opposes nuclear proliferation, I urge that we launch a vigorous diplomatic effort aimed at getting Iran to behave more responsibly. We must begin that effort immediately before their nuclear program gets even more advanced. In the days ahead, we can look for every possible opening to begin face-to-face talks. This diplomatic effort must include a strong partnership with the international community. The U.N. Security Council, for example, has demanded that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment program. So we must work with the members of the Council to put peaceful pressure on Iran to do just that. I think that President Obama described the situation best last August when he said, ``My job as President would be to try to make sure that we are tightening the screws diplomatically on Iran and that we have mobilized the world community to go after their program in a very serious way.'' So, Mr. Speaker, the President followed up on that, as we know, on his first day in office. In an interview with an Arabic language television station, he said, ``If countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.'' This received a positive response from President Ahmadinejad, who said that Iran was ready for ``talks based on mutual respect.'' Who knows what he really meant, but I think we should take him up on this, call his bluff. Let's test him to see if he was serious. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said, ``We won't know what we're capable of achieving with Iran until we're actually there working on it.'' Mr. Speaker, Iran is currently suffering from tough economic times, high inflation and international isolation. It is also threatening its people miserably. We could take advantage of Iran's problems by offering incentives and help with their problems if they agree to pull the plug on their nuclear ambitions. During the past administration, there was a great deal of talk about bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, but we all know that would have led us into another disastrous war in the Middle East, and thank heavens we did not do that. But refusing to engage with Iran hasn't worked so far. It's time for a new policy that stresses international cooperation, conflict resolution, and humanitarian assistance. With President Obama's leadership and willingness to talk and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's abilities, we can push the restart button, the restart button on our relations with Iran. We must now seize every single opportunity to do so because it appears time might be running out.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague, Mike Thompson, to recognize Elizabeth Kemp, who has been named the City of Sonoma's 2009 Alcaldessa, or Honorary Mayor. The title, ``Alcalde'' or ``Alcaldessa'' when referring to a woman, is the Spanish word for ``Mayor.'' During the Spanish colonial period in California, the Alcalde was the primary civil authority. In modern times in the City of Sonoma, it is an honorary title and the contemporary Alcalde or Alcaldessa presides over ceremonial events for the city. Alcaldales and Alcaldessas are nominated by the community and are representative of individuals with a long record of volunteer work. Ms. Kemp is no exception to this rule. Ms. Kemp attributes her community activism to her early years in London during WW II. That experience led her to be aware of the needs of others and to an understanding that anyone's circumstances can change in a matter of minutes. She emigrated from England when she was 21 and has lived in Sonoma since 1969. In 2000, Ms. Kemp recognized that many migrant workers had no place to live and were sleeping under bridges. She helped to organize one temporary camp, then joined with Vineyard Workers Services to create two more camps that are open during harvest. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of Vineyard Workers Services. Ms. Kemp initiated the Brown Bagger program in 2004. The program prepares and distributes more than 180 nutritious lunches each week to the homeless and others who are unable to purchase food. This past summer, Ms. Kemp organized a group of volunteers to provide bag lunches to students who normally receive free lunches at school when school is in session and to their younger siblings. As a member of the Board of Directors of Sonoma Overnight Support, Ms. Kemp has also been involved in the development of the first permanent homeless shelter in Sonoma. And, lest we think her interests are only parochial, Ms. Kemp is an active member of Friends of Turkana, a local group that raises funds for two medical missions in East Africa. Madam Speaker, Elizabeth Kemp is a beloved and vitally important member of the community and it is appropriate that we acknowledge her today as Sonoma's Alcaldessa for 2009.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shine a light on U.S. foreign policy, specifically our military presence in Afghanistan. President Obama did not ask for this war. He inherited it, along with Iraq, a destabilized Middle East and a weakened American reputation overseas. Mr. Speaker, President Obama is doing exactly what he said he would. He has called on his top military and diplomatic leaders to develop a plan for the future of Afghanistan. Already he has reached out to Congress to get our input. That's why this week Congresswomen Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters and I sent a letter to the President outlining congressional priorities regarding Afghanistan. We applauded the President for his strong leadership on an intelligent foreign policy and national security strategy, particularly his emphasis on diplomacy and international partnerships. We pledged to work with him and work with his administration to implement a foreign policy that stresses cooperation, conflict resolution and humanitarian assistance. We expressed our support and pleasure over his commitment to bring our troops home from Iraq in 16 months. Mr. Speaker, this administration has called Afghanistan the central front in the fight against terrorism. So, in an effort to promote better cooperation in our Nation's diplomatic development and military involvement in Afghanistan, our letter to President Obama outlined policy benchmarks which many of us in Congress support and, by the way, most Americans. These benchmarks include a clear authorization of the use of military force be established. Defined goals and objectives and benefits of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. We asked that he determine the human and financial resources necessary to carry out the administration's plan and provide us with a time line for the redeployment of troops and military contractors. The role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO; the United Nations, the U.N.; and other international partners must also be clearly delineated. The immediate humanitary and economic needs of Afghan people must also be met, we told him. Well, Mr. Speaker, as our national policy for Afghanistan is established, Members of Congress and all Americans anticipate an honest and open discussion about the challenges that lie ahead. And with that, we look forward to working with this administration to advance a responsible and a smart strategy through the Middle East and Central Asia, a path to real peace, and a path to economic security worldwide.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to praise President Obama's decision to review President Bush's policy of banning the media from photographing the coffins of our fallen soldiers. The American people were not allowed to see the flag-draped coffins when they arrived from Iraq and from Afghanistan. It was said that it protected the privacy of the soldiers and their families. There was a group who didn't want the American people to see the terrible human costs of the war because if they did, they would be more likely to oppose it. Secretary of Defense Gates says he will now review the policy. He said this week that if the needs of the families can be met and the privacy concerns can be addressed, then the more honor we can accord these fallen heroes, the better. He also said that reviewing the policy ``makes all kinds of sense.'' President Obama also addressed the issue at his news conference Monday night. He said he will make a decision about the policy after evaluating Secretary Gates' review and after he has an opportunity to understand all of the implications involved. The President and Secretary Gates are 100 percent right to proceed carefully because this is a very sensitive issue. Some families may not want pictures taken of their loved ones' coffins, and their privacy should certainly be protected. Other families will want photographs taken. For example, one father of a fallen soldier was interviewed recently, and he said, ``Looking back, I would have wanted to see the reverence and the honors given to him by the receiving military. I would have loved to have had that captured and to be able to hold it.'' Madam Speaker, families should be able to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to allow photographs. If that can be done in a practical and respectful way, then I fully support changing the policy. But I also believe that the best way to handle the issue of coffins is to make sure that there are no more coffins in the first place. That is why I've called for a redeployment of our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and for a worldwide cease-fire or a timeout from war. The Taliban is resurgent in Afghanistan, and the Middle East is still as unstable as ever. It is time for us to use the more effective tools of diplomacy, reconciliation, and humanitarian assistance to build a lasting peace. President Obama has pledged to use these tools, and he has already talked about making diplomatic overtures to Iran. The people of the world love and admire Barack Obama, and I believe they will respond positively to an American President who reaches out to them with an unclenched fist. Madam Speaker, 4,238 brave American soldiers have died in Iraq, another 640 have died in Afghanistan. Tens of thousands more have been wounded, and their families are also suffering. We must also remember soldiers of other countries who died as they served alongside our troops. They returned to their countries in flag- draped coffins. I support the Obama administration's decision to review the coffin policy. But the way to honor the fallen is to make sure that there will be no more coffins.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, the swearing in of President Obama on January 20 marked the beginning of a new day in our country and the end of a dark time in American history. Our country has learned painful lessons from the last administration's failure to respect the rule of law and the voice of the American people. Never once during the last 8 years did the past administration ask whether what it was doing was legal, morale, or right. As a result, its failures may have been criminal. Its actions may have been unconstitutional. Its unwillingness to take responsibility, glaring. President Obama and the 111th Congress will face huge, huge challenges as we repair the damage of the last 8 years. Across the country, people are worse off today than they were 8 years ago. The American people have lost loved ones, they have lost their jobs and their homes because of the last administration. America now finds itself in the worst economic shape since the Great Depression, fighting two wars overseas, and struggling to restore our reputation around the world and mend the fabric of the Constitution that has been damaged by the last administration. We face this situation today because the last administration acted above the law and looked down on anyone who challenged its right to do so. It followed the law when it was convenient, and ignored the law when it wasn't. It ignored good advice, and was quick to call its critics traitors and al Qaeda types rather than respect their viewpoints. It favored its rose-colored view of the world over reality even when the truth came crashing down around them. The new President understands the importance of learning from these mistakes as we rebuild our country and as we restore our Constitution. Since the Democrats took back the Congress in 2007, Mr. Speaker, we have aggressively sought to uncover the truth about the last administration. Hearing after hearing has shown abuse of power, disregard for the law, and contempt for Congress. Congress will continue with subpoenas, lawsuits, hearings, and questions. We will reaffirm that no one, not the President and not the Vice President, is above the law. As we move forward, Congress must address past abuses and failures. From keeping working families in their homes after record numbers of foreclosures, to reinvesting in health care and education for everyone, we will fulfill the priorities of the American people that have been so neglected. From closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay to banning torture, we will restore America's standing in the world. From ending the occupation of Iraq to protecting America's civil liberties, we will be a government that respects the Constitution and the American people. By correcting the mistakes of the past and reinvesting in our country, we can return equality and justice for all. By looking forward and renewing the promise of America, we will right the wrongs of the last 8 years. By working for the American people instead of working around them, we will return to a government by the people, for the people, and of the people.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor my friend Andrew Shepard who passed away on January 20, 2009, in Santa Rosa, California. Andy was a longtime executive with Exchange Bank who devoted himself to his family, his community, and his fly fishing. Born in Chicago in 1924, Andy grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and Pebble Beach, California. He joined the Army in 1943 and distinguished himself fighting in France where he won numerous honors including the Combat Infantryman's Badge 1st Award and the Bronze Star. After his discharge in 1946, Andy attended Stanford University, graduating in 1949 with a degree in Economics. He soon joined Exchange Bank as a teller, working his way up to CEO in a career that spanned 60 years. By 1969, Andy was appointed CEO and President of the bank, a position he held until 1991 when he was named Chairman of the Board. Upon his retirement in 2003, Andy served as Chairman Emeritus and continued to visit his office until a few months ago, despite being debilitated by a bone marrow disorder. Andy was known as a banker's banker, and his years of leadership at Exchange Bank were marked by solid investments that assured good dividends combined with innovations such as being one of the first banks in the community to introduce ATMs and drive-through tellers. He also set a priority on personable customer and employee relations, which he exemplified with his own ready smile and kind words. During his tenure the bank grew from three offices to 19, with a focus on small account-holders. But it is his promotion of Exchange Bank's greatest gift to the community--the Frank P. Doyle Scholarships--that truly marked Andy's banking career. The scholarship program, founded by Frank Doyle almost 60 years ago, provides bank dividends for a fund which assists students at Santa Rosa Junior College. Over the years, $78 million has been awarded to more than 112,000 students. Unfortunately, the bank has recently had to suspend these dividends, but Andy was confident that, with the bank's long-term stability, they will be restored. He also founded and/or served on the boards of numerous community organizations such as the Community Foundation Sonoma County, Santa Rosa Symphony, Memorial Hospital, Heart Association of the Redwood Empire, and United Way. Andy also had active leadership roles in two key banking organizations, the California Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association as well as the Independent Bankers of Northern California, the American Institute of Banking and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. Among his numerous awards are the California Human Development Corporation Aztec Award, Pacific Coast Banking School Hall of Fame, Santa Rosa Junior College Floyd Bailey Award and President's Medallion, and the Junior Chamber of Commerce Boss of the Year. In 1993, Andy married Mardi Casebolt who shared his passions for golf and fly fishing. Andy was proud of his chairmanship of the Ladies Professional Golf Association and enjoyed his time at a fly fishing lodge he co-founded in Colorado which has been featured on national television fishing shows. In addition to Mardi, Andy is survived by daughters Marcy Lyons and Susan Ball, stepdaughters Debbie Bird and Trece O'Donnell, four grandchildren, and five step grandchildren. Madam Speaker, Andrew Shepard's life leaves a deep imprint on the banking industry, on the Sonoma community, and on his many friends and family. He was an inspiration to me, and I will miss him so much. Thank you, Andy, for all your wonderful work and commitment and for your friendship.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor a friend of the Petaluma Community, William ``Bill'' Berliner, who passed away at his home in Petaluma, California, on January 21, 2009. Bill was a central figure in his adopted community of Petaluma, California, while remaining true to his Chicago roots. After visiting his brother Andy in Petaluma, Bill moved to town in 1973 and noticed the absence of any place serving a good deep-dish pizza, a style invented in Chicago. In 1978 he opened Old Chicago Pizza in the heart of downtown where it has provided locals with an authentic and tasty food in a warm and family-friendly environment. The restaurant has also provided opportunities for jobs for young people and long-term work for trusted employees. My son Michael worked at Old Chicago as a youth learning his way in the workforce, as did my daughter-in-law Lisa. Happily the restaurant, under the ownership of two employees who have been with the restaurant for well over 20 years, will continue in business. Bill was active in the Petaluma Downtown Association and supported nonprofits such as the Carousel Fund which assists children battling serious illnesses. He always spoke his mind about the issues of the day in Petaluma, while he continued to root for Chicago sports teams. As a former drag racer and pianist in a jazz ensemble, Bill used his wide- ranging interests and hands-on style to create a special place and a special spirit for the community. Madam Speaker, Bill Berliner's passing has left an empty space in our town and in his family. He is survived by twin daughters Angela and Jordana and his mother Clarice Saltiel as well as his brother Andy Berliner. Petaluma will miss Bill's involvement, but we are grateful for his imprint on our community, as well as for the delicious Old Chicago pizza.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, on February 10, 2009, I was unavoidably detained and was not able to record my vote for rollcall Nos. 54-56. Had I been present I would have voted: rollcall No. 54--``yes''--On Motion to Instruct Conferees; rollcall No. 55--``yes''--Supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Girls and Women in Sports Day''; rollcall No. 56--``yes''--Recognizing and commending University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford for winning the 2008 Heisman Trophy and for his academic and athletic accomplishments.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Martin Delaney who passed away in his home in San Rafael, California, on January 23, 2009, of liver cancer. Mr. Delaney, who was 63, was a leader in AIDS activism, especially the movement to represent the needs of HIV patients in the drug approval process. Although not HIV positive himself, Martin's experience with experimental treatments for his Hepatitis B infection and his dismay at the devastating spread of AIDS (including the death of his partner), led him to found Project Inform in 1985. Based in San Francisco, Project Inform soon became the leading national advocacy organization focusing on ensuring that promising anti-retroviral medications reached patients quickly and expeditiously. He worked with government officials to develop accelerated approval for the drugs as well as to implement policies ensuring that those most seriously ill had access to treatments before approval. Martin served as the director of Project Inform until 2008 and also led the Fair Pricing Coalition which negotiates affordable rates for HIV medications with the industry. He dedicated himself to educating and shaping public policy as well, working with everyone from AIDS patients to research scientists to government officials. He is credited with saving thousands of lives. For his work, Martin was recently given the Director's Special Recognition Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The award was for ``extraordinary contributions to framing the HIV research agenda,'' and the Institute's Director, Dr. Anthony S. Faud, M.D. stated that Martin ``is a formidable activist and a dear friend. It is without hyberbole that I call Marty Delaney a public health hero.'' Madam Speaker, Martin Delaney is truly a hero. He not only saved lives; he also forged a path with his heart, his head, and his conviction that he could take action to fight the suffering he witnessed. I join people all over this country in mourning his passing.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, last night I attended the 10th anniversary celebration of Safe House in San Francisco. Safe House is a unique service. It provides services and support to homeless women and to women who are leaving prostitution. Safe House empowers these women to turn their lives around, and, Mr. Speaker, they do. The Reverend Glenda Hope, one of the founders of Safe House, also helped establish San Francisco Network Ministries which helps the poorest of the poor on the streets of San Francisco. She has been a beacon of hope for decades, helping many people who have been forgotten and discarded by society so that they could find their way back. I have been proud to call Glenda Hope my close friend, my inspiration, and my hero for over 40 years. Her commitment to human dignity and to social justice is an example for all of us. Reverend Hope has also been a tireless champion of peace. She refused to remain silent about the previous administration's disastrous policies in Iraq and demanded that Congress cut off funding for the occupation. To Glenda, Iraq isn't something you see on television because Glenda sees the tragic results of the fighting with her own eyes on the streets of San Francisco. She sees veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, homelessness, and mental illness caused by combat. When the so-called ``surge'' began in 2007, Glenda warned that there will be a ``surge of additional vets onto our streets with similar afflictions, and the longer we stay in Iraq the more there will be.'' Mr. Speaker, we now know that over 300,000 veterans of the Iraq War are suffering from PTSD. Many veterans across the country are homeless, jobless, and suffering from depression and other mental problems. Many are dealing with family problems caused by their long and frequent deployments away from home. In addition, Mr. Speaker, many others have been caught up in the foreclosure crisis, and just the other day, we received the tragic news that the suicide rate among soldiers in 2008 was the highest in nearly 30 years. The human cost of war is the greatest cost of all, and our country has a moral obligation to provide the very best care to our veterans. But the financial costs should also concern us, especially in these hard times. We continue to spend over $12 billion a month to keep our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We'll also be spending countless billions of dollars to provide help for our veterans, many of whom will require extensive health care for decades to come. Mr. Speaker, our Nation cannot afford to fight two wars at a time when our economy is on the brink of collapse. We tried to have guns and butter back in the Vietnam War. It didn't work and it won't work now. It is obvious that we're overextended. That's why I've called for the redeployment of our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and for a bold, aggressive recovery plan to save our economy here at home. On January 20, Mr. Speaker, I sent a letter to our brand new President Obama calling for a worldwide cease-fire, or a timeout, from war. This would allow us to work with the world community to use diplomacy, reconciliation, and humanitarian assistance to resolve disputes and to fight terrorism. This approach would be especially effective in Afghanistan where war has never worked. As a matter of fact, war hasn't worked for any invader of Afghanistan down through history. Building schools, building hospitals, building roads is the best way to fight the Taliban. Mr. Speaker, it's time to rebuild our country and rethink our foreign policy. The old ways have failed, and we must take bold, new action. It means an economic recovery package big enough to do the job and a new commitment to peace around the world. It means we should follow the example of Reverend Glenda Hope because she would invest in the neediest among us, and that would be the way to get started in this world of ours.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. I'm fine, Keith. Thank you again for pulling together a Progressive Caucus Special Order and for making it something that we want to come down here and talk from our perspectives about as to what's going on in our Congress and in our country and overall in our world. Right now, this country of ours, this Congress of ours and certainly every single person I saw in my district--Marin and Sonoma Counties-- over the weekend are all talking about one thing, and that is the stimulus package, the recovery package, that we are debating between the House and the Senate. Now, after 1 week and 1 day of electing a new President, the House passed the President's recovery package, and we are proud of it. The Senate has changed it slightly--considerably. Really and truly, 90 percent is overlap in one way or another, but there are some misses that our leadership will have to deal with in conference. I don't know how many people understand what happens when the House passes a piece of legislation on an issue and then when the Senate passes a different piece of legislation on the same issue. In order to have a law, we have to have conferencing between the House and the Senate. It's bipartisan with Republicans and Democrats. The conferees go into a room, and they start working out the differences. The only thing they talk about is where the two pieces of legislation differ and where they can come together and agree. So now, what does this have to do with the Progressive Caucus? Well, your Chairs of the Progressive Caucus, myself and Raul Grijalva, wrote a letter to the conferees asking for four important issues to be strengthened in conference between the House and the Senate. And maybe what you would like to do, Keith--I will talk about the first section and then hand it over to you to comment on, and then we'll go to the second, and third, and fourth; and then by then, we will be pretty much out of here.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Trillion dollars. Thank you. I still have a hard time saying ``trillion'' when I'm talking numbers. And that, I believe, would have been what we needed. Because, you see, we're only going to have one bite at this apple. I don't believe we're going to get a second chance. So I think it should be as bold as it can possibly be. And the third ``ask'' in our letter to the conferees was regarding investing in America's future, home ownership. We see this as one of the key elements in the Bush recession, the housing crisis that can be felt from Wall Street to Main Street. And that's why we think that the Senate action was actually wrongheaded. The Senate bill zeroes out $2.25 billion in funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which would have provided funds to States and localities to purchase and rehabilitate abandoned and foreclosed homes. The House allocated $4.19 billion for that program. We requested that our leadership return the funding to the House-passed levels so that we would then make a statement about how important housing and neighborhoods are and that we shore up the neighborhoods that are suffering the most.

Ms. WOOLSEY. So I'm not going to go through all of the introduction that we said in the letter except we said, ``As the co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus, we write to you today to express our great concern about H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009. And we would like our leadership in conference to pay attention to four major issues.'' The first one, investing in America's future. Our children. And then we went on to say that in the Senate bill, almost half of the funding cuts come from education. We consider this irresponsible, we consider it shortsighted. Eliminating funding for school construction not only hurts our Nation's children, but it also impedes job growth. What perfect growth for jobs is building schools for our kids that they need, and at the same time, providing jobs that pay a liveable wage. Additionally, the Senate cut funding for Head Start, Head Start and early Head Start, from 2.1 billion to 1.05 billion. And in our letter we said that this chips away at our Nation's future and places an overwhelming burden on families already feeling the strain of a bleak economy and that we requested that our leadership return the funding to the House-passed levels.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Well, and now, Keith, the second issue we addressed is investing in America's States and local communities. Recognizing the squeeze being put on State and local governments, the House, rightfully, set aside assistance--assistance to ease the financial crisis right here at home. That was slashed in the Senate's bill. It was slashed to $39 billion, which was a $49 billion reduction. States are seeing crises within education, within health care, job training, welfare programs; and it's really unclear, right now, how many States and localities will be able to function without the above-mentioned funding streams. And we requested that our conferees returned funding to the House- passed levels.

Ms. WOOLSEY. If you will yield a minute.

Ms. WOOLSEY. The other thing we have to remember, Congressman Ellison, every single economist has told us you have to spend the right amount enough, otherwise it doesn't matter what you spend because it won't do the job.

Ms. WOOLSEY. And we have lobbied for a really bold stimulus package. I personally would have had a package that had the tax cuts on top of the spending, and it probably would have totaled over $1.2 billion.

Ms. WOOLSEY. I've been on welfare. I've moved--man, I can really relate to what's happening with people right now. My children, they were one, three, and five years old. Their father was emotionally ill, and he left us; and I went to work, of course. I mean, they were my babies. I wanted to take care of them and did. But I couldn't make ends meet. So I kept my work and kept my job. This was 40 years ago, remember that. But we had to go on Aid For Dependent Children to round off childcare and health care. And we got so much more in aid and help then, 40 years ago, than poor people do now, poor moms. And I just don't know how they're making ends meet. We moved from a really nice home. We had two cars. I was 29 years old. We were the ideal family. And it just turned inside out. And my kids and I moved to a little two-bedroom cottage. I bought a little beat up Volkswagen, drove it to work every day. It had a flower on the side--this was in the 1960s, of course. But it was so hard. And we got so much help, more help than families get today. And that's why we want families in the stimulus recovery package to recover along with others that are going to get helped.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Thank you, Keith. And, you know, I'm going to go into our fourth ``ask'' of the conferees, but I think it's important to say because this is probably why we're fighting so hard. When I was on welfare, I used to say to my friends--I was on welfare for 3 years, working the whole time. I would say to my friends, ``Well, I don't know how other women do this.'' They think, ``Are you crazy? What do you care about other women? You're working. You're going to be off of it pretty soon.'' But, you know, I always knew that I was educated. I had college-- hadn't graduated but I had several years of college. I had great job skills, I was as healthy as a horse, my kids were really healthy. And, you know, I was assertive so I could make things happen. And I always worried that other women with children didn't have those same privileges that I had, actually, in growing up. And it's never left me. It has never entered my mind that I made it; so why can't you? I know how important that help was.

Ms. WOOLSEY. The Federal Government was there for me and my family, and you have to believe I've paid back.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Well, just to finish this thought, every person we help who gets back on his or her feet pays back to the community and to the greater good.

Ms. WOOLSEY. And that's what happens to most people who get help; some, not, but most do. So, knowing that, the fourth issue we have of asking of our conferees in our Progressive Caucus letter that our two co-chairs signed is investing in America's health care.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Fewer Americans have access to insurance and health care. The House appropriately invested in immediate and preventive care. The Senate bill cuts $5.8 billion that was directed towards grants and contracts to prevent illness through health screenings, through education; malnutrition, immunization, nutrition counseling; media campaigns and other activities related to health. The House actually had set aside $3 billion for prevention and wellness, and furthermore, the Senate version cut $5 billion that is intended to help unemployed workers pay for health insurance, reducing the Federal subsidy under COBRA coverage to 50 percent from 66 percent. That's something I have no idea how somebody can be out of work, living on unemployment, and afford COBRA. I mean that would eat up one whole person's unemployment or both family members that are working. So, practically speaking, the Senate bill ignores the fact that many States who have unemployment insurance benefits that are covering or need to cover the newly unemployed workers will receive less money for the unemployed workers and for pay for food or housing, and that's going to really wipe out our States. And then individuals who have to pay COBRA health coverage, that wipes them out, and we're not going to help them if you don't change that in the conference. So that's health care that's not going to be supported like it should.

Ms. WOOLSEY. And if the gentleman will yield, nine-tenths of the list that you read off creates jobs. I mean, it doesn't just upgrade the home and keep and make it energy efficient, which is so important, but the people doing the work are employed, and they're employed in jobs that pay a livable wage, and that is so important. And one of the things we asked, not as one of the four key areas of the conferees, but that we let them know that we're concerned about the Senate's package in their investment in jobs because we wanted them to focus on green technology, and we wanted them to focus on veterans, and we absolutely are insisting that they maintain the prevailing wage. I mean, if we're going to have Federal funds, if we're going to be creating jobs, we do not want to create jobs for slave labor, and we want jobs that can make the worker independent and able to take care of his or her family.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Still a lot of jobs but we can do better.