Bonnie Watson Coleman

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of S. 1170, the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2015. I thank Senator Feinstein of California for her leadership on the legislation and her commitment to funding breast cancer research. This is a very important bipartisan issue, and 25 Senators have joined Senator Feinstein in sponsoring this legislation. I also want to thank my colleague, Representative Speier, also from California, for introducing the House companion bill, which has 59 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. I thank Chairman Chaffetz for bringing this bill to the floor and for his support of this crucial legislation. S. 1170 would extend the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue the popular semipostal stamp that raises funds for breast cancer research. Currently, Postal Service customers can choose to buy a 60-cent breast cancer research stamp. The extra 11 cents above the price of the regular first-class stamp minus the Postal Service's administrative costs go to lifesaving research. Since its first issuance in 1998, the Postal Service has sold almost 1 billion breast cancer research stamps, generating nearly $82 million that has gone directly to the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense to fund vital research. In a 2014 report to Congress, the National Cancer Institute of the NIH has concluded: Having this additional funding has furthered the cancer research community's efforts to exploit increasing knowledge of genetics and molecular biology to develop more effective and less toxic treatments for breast cancer. Research funding from this semipostal stamp is critical in the fight against breast cancer, as one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women after lung cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that, in 2015, about 40,000 women will die from this disease. If we do not pass the measure before us today, the authorization for the Postal Service to sell the breast cancer research stamp will expire by the end of the year. I, therefore, will urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support S. 1170. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Speier.

Ms. WATSON COLEMAN

Ms. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was, unfortunately, unable to vote today due to a personal matter. Had I been present I would have voted the following ways: rollcall 641--H.R. 3189, the FORM Act of 2015-- ``nay;'' rollcall 643--H.R. 4038, the American SAFE Act of 2015-- ``nay.'' personal explanation

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, last week, after many of us had returned to our homes across the country, while our constituents were enjoying the beginning of their weekend, Paris fell victim to one of the most violent terrorist attacks in recent memory. Nohemi Gonzalez, an American student studying architecture abroad, was among those killed. A day earlier, in Beirut, dozens of innocent lives were cut short in a coordinated attack on that city. Earlier this year, an attack at Garissa University in Kenya left 147 dead. And just yesterday, a suicide bomber killed 34 people in Yola, Nigeria. That attack was followed by two more today, driving the number of lives lost there to 49. Before we go any further, Mr. Speaker, I would ask for a moment of silence to remember the lives of those who have been lost. Mr. Speaker, the world is facing an incredible wave of violence with the single purpose of stoking fear. It is the kind of fear that keeps us from solving problems and that paralyzes us into inaction. It is the kind of fear that we are hearing in the calls to block refugees from seeking shelter here in the United States, violating all of our values because of an immediate emotional reaction. The individuals who committed these atrocious acts of violence are counting on us to fall into that kind of fear, and that is why it is so important not to. We must stand with our allies in Paris. We must stand with the innocent in Beirut and Garissa and Nigeria. We must stand firm in our role as world leaders and as part of an international coalition dedicated to bringing down ISIS. We must stand for the values that have always been paramount in the United States, and one of those values is opening our doors to those seeking safety. We cannot turn our backs to the humanitarian crisis facing the Syrians refugees. They are fleeing a conflict they are not responsible for and want no part in. They have lost their homes, their jobs, and members of their families. The only thing that many of them are seeking is a chance to start over. The vast majority of these refugees are women and children. Even more importantly, agencies involved with allowing them to enter will prioritize survivors of violence and torture and those with severe illnesses. If we can do it safely, verifying the identities and backgrounds of those seeking safety here in the United States, and developing systems to ensure that we don't let in anyone seeking to harm us, then we must help these refugees. It is not just our responsibility as a world leader; it is the right thing to do as a nation of immigrants. While we can't remove every risk, we do have an intensive screening process in place, and refugees receive the greatest scrutiny of any individual coming here. The FBI's Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the National Counterterrorism Center are all involved in the process of clearing these people. As recent events have shown us, the threat of ISIS is real. The terror that they spread across the world, the violence they perpetrate, and their disregard for innocent human life are all despicable. We have a chance right now to build something positive from these tragedies. We must unify as a global community against the evil of ISIS and in support of peace and freedom and humanity. The only goal of ISIS is to destroy life. By giving refugees the opportunity to escape, we can save them. Mr. Speaker, I know that I join all of my colleagues in prayer for the lives that were lost in Paris and elsewhere and for the hundreds more that were injured in the attacks. I pray for solace for those who have lost their loved ones and friends. I pray for peace around the world. I pray for the good that we can do, as a country, that will build consensus with coalitions and partners around the world. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. I want to thank Mr. Engel for giving me this opportunity to speak, and I want to thank my colleague and neighbor, Congressman Chris Smith, for introducing this resolution. I stand in proud support of the resolution, and I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, more than 70 years removed from the Holocaust, Jewish residents in Europe face renewed waves of anti-Semitic violence. The Pew Research Center reported that global harassment of Jews has reached a 7-year high. This violence is pronounced in Europe, where the desecration of synagogues, cemeteries, schools, and other violent incidents have spiked over the past few years. The Jewish Community Security Trust reported more than 1,100 anti- Jewish incidents in the United Kingdom in 2014, including 81 violent assaults. That same year, according to the French Jewish advocacy group CRIF, anti-Semitic incidents doubled in that nation. Troubling, violent, and even deadly anti-Semitic attacks have also occurred in countries such as Denmark, Belgium, and Germany. As the leader in the international community, the United States plays a very vital role in denouncing anti-Semitism and hate. The national director of the Anti-Defamation League has attributed U.S. public figures speaking out against hate as contributing to steady decreases in anti-Semitic attitudes domestically. As a nation founded on equality and religious freedom, we share a responsibility to stand against anti-Semitism and against hate in all its manifestations, whether it is the hate that manifested as four people were killed at the HyperCacher Jewish supermarket outside of Paris this past January, or the hate that manifested as the nine Americans killed in the massacre at Mother Emmanuel AME in Charleston, or the hate manifested as six killed at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, or the hate that manifested in the flames that have recently burned countless Black churches to the ground. We must join together as a nation and a global community to denounce hate wherever it may appear and uproot weeds of hate wherever they may sprout. With that, I urge my colleagues to support this.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, about 1 year ago, Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader McConnell described a vision for the 114th Congress. It included ``focusing first on jobs and the economy.'' They looked forward to helping middle class Americans ``frustrated by an increasing lack of opportunity, the stagnation of wages, and a government that seems incapable of performing even basic tasks.'' In the time since, they have done nothing but protect big businesses enjoy record profits, attack immigrants, and help polluters continue the destruction of our environment. This body has voted four times in support of the Confederate battle flag, but we have taken no votes on legislation that will level the playing field for working Americans. This body has voted against a solid, long-term transportation and infrastructure bill five times, and we have taken no votes on legislation to boost American wages. This body has voted countless times to undermine the Affordable Care Act or endanger women's access to health care, but we have taken no votes on legislation to help families balance the needs of work and their personal lives. That is in spite of statements from Members like the Republican nominee for Speaker who just last week indicated he wouldn't run for the position unless he would be allowed to set aside time to spend with his family. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I are here on the floor tonight to call for a shift in focus. We were elected to ensure everyday Americans have a fighting chance and opportunities to succeed. We need to change gears to get to work on an agenda for working families. We need to pass legislation that would give workers the ability to balance work and family needs, bills like the Healthy Families Act, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, the Schedules That Work Act, and the Strong Start for America's Children Act. We need to pass legislation that will give workers paychecks that actually give them a chance to make ends meet, bills like the Raise the Wage Act, the WAGE Act, and the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act. We need to pass legislation that will give every American a chance to succeed and climb into the middle class regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or any other quality, bills like the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and the Equality Act. Tonight, Mr. Speaker, you will hear stories from across the country of working families who have played by the rules and worked for long hours and still can't seem to make it work. These experiences are shared with countless others from my district in New Jersey all the way across the Nation to California. I hope that my colleagues are ready to listen, and, more importantly, I hope they are ready to act. It is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Thank you very much. As always, you have shared information with us which is illuminating and edifying and, hopefully, convincing of our colleagues that they shall adhere to those things that you were suggesting and recommending. Mr. Speaker, one of the stories tonight that I have comes from Armando in New Brunswick, New Jersey. For 3\1/2\ years, Armando worked at a gas station 7 days a week on the night shift. He got one day off every 3 months. Despite working 46 hours each week, he didn't get overtime pay. In 2007, when his wife Silvia developed eye problems that required a number of doctors' appointments, Armando's request to leave work early to help with her treatment and recovery was denied. In order to care for his wife, Armando would come in from work at 6 a.m., leave at 7 a.m. to head to the hospital with Silvia, return home at 7 p.m., and sleep for just 2 hours before doing it all over again. When he filed a complaint with the Department of Labor, Armando lost his job. On his way out the door, Armando's employer told him he was a good worker. He liked his work, but not the complaint. Mr. Speaker, no one should have to endure this. No one should have to work endlessly with just 4 days off each year just to make ends meet. No one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and losing his or her job. I would like to take this opportunity and share another story with you from New Jersey. This story comes from Josefa, also from New Brunswick, New Jersey. She works in a restaurant in the kitchen and occasionally as a cashier. When Josefa became pregnant, she had to take 2 months off of work without pay. When she returned, she asked for the morning shift so that she could go home to be with her newborn baby. They obliged her request, but 2 weeks later they moved her to a 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift. With so few hours and traveling long distances to get to the restaurant, Josefa was stuck. She asked her boss for more hours, not a raise or a handout, but the chance to work enough hours to make ends meet. Despite 5 years in her job, Josefa was told that, if she didn't like it, she could leave. In Josefa's own words: ``I was a single mom, so it was very difficult; and things like this don't just happen to me--they happen to many others. We just make enough to pay the babysitter and rent, but there are so many expenses.'' Mr. Speaker, in the greatest Nation in the world, which we are, we can--and we must--do better. We must stand up for those hardworking Americans who don't want a handout but who simply want a level playing field. We have got to stand up for those working Americans who have to work 46 hours a week, who get 3 or 4 days a year off, who are not able to make the decision to be able to care for a sick child, a sick spouse, or a sick parent. We can do better than that. It doesn't take a lot for us to simply be decent to those who hold up our economy, who do the jobs that we take for granted every single, solitary day; but without those jobs, we would see what is lacking in our lives. So I ask, Mr. Speaker, that our colleagues in this House--and particularly on the other side of the aisle--spend some time reflecting on what little it is they need to do to simply give our working Americans a fair shake, a fair chance, time with their families, and time to be able to bring their families into the middle class. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois. She is always a progressive voice and no greater advocate can we have. I am now delighted to yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), someone who has been a friend for a very long time and whose work I respect and admire tremendously.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Ellison, who has been a very strong and consistent voice on behalf of all working families and, indeed, all of those that are least among us couldn't have a better advocate. I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the subject of this Special Order.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. I thank the gentlewoman from D.C. Mr. Chair, it is extremely unfortunate that we are here yet again debating legislation that would interfere with the ability of D.C. residents to make decisions for themselves. So far this Congress, the House has attempted to block laws that would protect District women's reproductive rights and reform Washington's drug laws. And now we are asked to continue a failed private school voucher program, a program that a majority of the D.C. Council opposes and on which they are not even consulted, a program that D.C.'s own longtime Congresswoman opposes. I am shocked at the arrogance of this body to set aside the will of the citizens of the District of Columbia so fleetingly. It is disgraceful that in this building, a symbol of our democracy, we impose such policies on a city that does not even get a vote on these decisions. Additionally, I oppose this bill because it weakens D.C.'s public school system. Instead of taking public dollars to outsource our children's education to private schools, we should be focusing on truly reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. We need an updated ESEA that strengthens public schools for all our children and prepares students for the globally competitive world we live in. Education should be the great equalizer, and every student should have access to the best education, regardless of their ZIP Code or their socioeconomic status. There are public schools in this country that are among the very best in the world. I am proud that several of them are in my district. Mr. Chair, we know that public schools can work when we properly support them; but, unfortunately, for certain communities, far too many schools continue to struggle due to lack of resources on one hand and relentless attempts to undermine them on the other. Private vouchers only further perpetuate these inequities by siphoning additional resources for few students while leaving the rest behind in underfunded public schools. In our global economy, it is more essential than ever that every child receives a quality education. To do that, our public schools need adequate resources. Diverting public money to private and parochial schools only worsens the problem. I support access to a world-class public education for all students; but too often, the majority in this body undercut that goal, whether through the so-called Student Success Act that leaves students in a lurch or today's SOAR bill that sorely misses the point. I urge my colleagues to listen to the people of the District of Columbia and their elected representative, Ms. Norton. Most importantly, listen to the teachers and the parents who oppose this bill, and reject this legislation.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, this past spring Congress passed legislation that authorized the President to negotiate and sign sweeping trade agreements with limited input from Congress. When I say ``the President,'' I am not just talking about Mr. Obama, Mr. Speaker. I am talking about anyone who sits in the Oval Office from now on. This body then went on to pass a trade adjustment assistance package that falls far short of what is necessary and, in and of itself, acknowledges the loss of employment that comes from the trade agreement. Those steps set the stage for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the final language of which was announced earlier this week. That deal was built from years of secret negotiations between corporations and trade representatives, with little to no input from the working families who will have to bear the loss of jobs here at home. Mr. Speaker, back in New Jersey, we know what happens when trade deals don't consider American workers. Factories close, employees are laid off, and whole cities that used to pump out products for consumers around the world are suddenly faced with stunted economies and incomprehensible unemployment. While I am not opposed to free trade, our priority can't simply be corporate gains under the guise of economic growth; it must be the welfare of working families. But working families are going to find themselves out of luck if they are forced to compete with salaries of just cents an hour overseas. TPP is a very bad deal. It lacks prohibitions to address currency manipulation; it lacks environmental standards that will keep manufacturers accountable and ensure we are preventing some of the human causes of climate change; and it lacks labor standards that protect the human rights of workers in places like Mexico, Vietnam, and Malaysia, running against even the most basic human American values. It does all this based on the flawed philosophy that supporting multinational corporations somehow helps the middle class. Mr. Speaker, let me state for the record that no trade deal is ever crafted to support the American middle class, and any suggestion otherwise is a flat-out, bold-faced lie. International trade is always marketed as the key to economic growth, but we are told that opening new markets means more opportunities for U.S. businesses. That is true in part. But the businesses that profit most are multinational corporations, and part of that profit comes from sending American jobs overseas. We will allow those same companies to continue to enjoy tax loopholes that maximize their bottom line and allow them to keep much of their profits stashed away elsewhere. If NAFTA and CAFTA are any example, these profits will never make it down the line to Americans striving to get to the middle class. If we are serious about growing our economy in a way that supports every American, there are plenty of policy changes that we could make: We could give our workers a living wage that would allow them to support their families; We could provide better primary and secondary education and more affordable higher education; We could offer employment through the hundreds of thousands of jobs we could create by investing in infrastructure repairs and upgrades; And we could do a lot better than TPP. So before we move forward, my congressional Progressive colleagues and I have come to the floor to urge Members on both sides of the aisle to take what limited time we have to change the course. We have just one last opportunity to fix this deal, to protect American workers, and to ensure a deal that will actually boost our economy, not just the profit margins of multinational corporations, and we need to take that time. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to a Member who has been as outspoken as any of us as we talk about the need to reexamine this flawed agreement. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), our ranking member on the Rules Committee.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for her eloquent and compelling words. Whenever she speaks up for the American people, she does so in such a convincing way and a way that is backed by empirical data, not just anecdotes and not just sort of dreams, but that which she already knows. So I appreciate and feel particularly honored to represent the Congressional Progressive Caucus here this evening to speak out on issues that we know are very important, vitally important, to the well- being of the American worker and our American families. I do pray that our congressional body can come together around an issue that affects all of us in any district that we might represent, in any corner of the United States of America, and at any economic strata that we might represent. With that, Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers who want to address this issue this evening. I thank you for your indulgence. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for taking the time to be with us to talk about what is such an important issue for us. Mr. Speaker, it isn't often that we get a second bite at an apple in realtime, but this is one of those opportunities that we do have. There have been a number of issues that have been raised that I believe validate from our perspective that this is not a good deal. It is not a good deal for American families. It is not a good deal for American workers. It is only a good deal for multi-national corporations. We are engaging in a trade relationship with countries whose values we do not share and who, on occasions, we have actually had the opportunity to shame. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that we, as Members of Congress, can find this as an opportunity to work together to do something collectively, which is better for the American family and the American worker. We can do that at the same time we have an opportunity to have fair trade agreements and just trade agreements. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a Member who has been as outspoken as any other Member in this House about the need to turn back from this flawed agreement, a leader on workers' rights and human rights and women's rights and building an economy that works for average Americans.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from New York for her comments and for being with us today as part of the Progressive Caucus. Mr. Speaker, I yield to a Member who has been outspoken on behalf of working families and American workers, Mr. Pocan from Wisconsin.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to serve here in the United States Congress, but we sully that honor when we waste the American people's time with misplaced priorities and manufactured crises. Mr. Speaker, Congress has one fundamental responsibility: funding the Federal Government. But unfortunately, Republicans in Congress insist on undermining these responsibilities at virtually every turn. Mr. Speaker, Republicans already insist on maintaining reckless sequester funding that chokes services for working and middle class Americans, seniors, veterans, and children. Instead of passing Republican budgets that meet the ever-changing needs of our Nation, Republicans choose to kick the can down the road through continuing resolutions that waste precious time and shortchange the American people. But if sequestration and continuing resolutions weren't already bad enough, now we are facing a complete Federal shutdown because Republicans insist on holding Federal funds for women's health care hostage. Congress has just 4 legislative days remaining to pass a funding bill. Mr. Speaker, the American people are fed up with this brinksmanship. It is time for us to run the country like adults. Let's remember why this is happening: Republicans have pledged to shut down the entire Federal Government because of objections to abortion services by Planned Parenthood. Never mind that not a single cent of Federal money funds abortions by Planned Parenthood. Never mind that Planned Parenthood provides health care and education to more than 2.6 million Americans--both men and women--each year. Never mind that 97 percent of Planned Parenthood's health services are unrelated to abortions. Republicans would rather ignore these truths and instead rely on a series of distorted videos secretly filmed by discredited and shady antiabortion activists. So instead of using this time to talk about creating jobs, building infrastructure, reducing college debt, and reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, I am forced to stand here on the House floor to remind the American people about the dangers we face with yet another Republican shutdown. Here are a few ways that this shutdown would harm the American people: A shutdown would close more than 400 national parks and monuments. It would increase backlogs for veterans' pensions, compensation, and disability claims. It would delay tax refunds and Federal home loan applications; prohibit the National Institutes of Health from accepting new patients; shut down E-Verify screening for businesses to limit hiring undocumented workers; shutter Head Start programs for low-income families and children; and close Federal courts. The impact of a 2015 shutdown is hard to quantify, but we don't have to look too far back to estimate the potential impact. In 2013, Republicans shut the government down for 16 days in a failed attempt to defund the Affordable Care Act. That shutdown furloughed 850,000 Federal workers for a total of 6.6 million days. The 2013 shutdown cost $2 billion in lost productivity. Standard & Poor's estimated that the shutdown cost the U.S. economy $24 billion and stalled the creation of more than 100,000 private sector jobs, and $4.4 billion in tax returns were delayed. Small businesses and private lenders had to delay loans due to lack of access to Federal Social Security number and income verification tools. Knowing what we know, Mr. Speaker, it is inconceivable that we could walk into this type of catastrophe by choice. That must be why the Speaker of the House, in 2013, called that shutdown a ``very predictable disaster.'' Mr. Speaker, I would much rather be predicting solutions than disasters. That is why I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Congressional Progressive Caucus to stave off this irresponsible and dangerous shutdown. Again, this is the one thing our constituents sent us to Washington for: to fund the government. This is our job. I implore my anti-women's health colleagues to set aside their partisan bickering and work with us to keep this government open. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 719, the TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015. In September 2013, the Department of Homeland Security inspector general released a report detailing the Transportation Security Administration's misclassification of certain employees in its Office of Inspection as criminal investigators. Specifically, the inspector general found that the workload of these criminal investigators did not fit the Federal workload requirement to justify their title. Because of this misclassification, these employees received enhanced benefits, such as premium pay, early retirement, and other benefits commensurate with the position, despite the fact that they perform little to no investigative duties. Whereas the workload for a properly classified criminal investigator predominantly involves investigating criminal cases, the inspector general found that the workload for these employees consisted largely of investigating noncriminal cases, carrying out inspections, covert testing, and internal reviews, all tasks that could be performed by employees who do not receive the enhanced benefits. As the ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, I believe that it is important that agencies utilize their resources in a manner that is both effective and efficient. According to the inspector general, the Office of Inspection did not use its resources in a manner that would efficiently conduct internal reviews, inspections, and covert testing. If no changes are made to these positions, the inspector general estimated that it would result in the wasting of as much as $17.5 million over 5 years. H.R. 719 directs TSA to certify that all persons designated as criminal investigators are working on criminal investigations at least 50 percent of their time. This threshold is consistent with the Federal standard for the position and ensures that the TSA is providing enhanced pay and benefits to those who actually perform the duties of a criminal investigator. This measure will not affect those with the proper classification of criminal investigator and will not impede efforts to thwart terror plots and other criminal enterprises that threaten our national security. This legislation also incorporates changes meant to address instances in which Federal Air Marshal Service officials have used their official capacities to obtain benefits from private vendors and to also address recent allegations of misconduct involving the misuse of government resources and solicitation by reviewing existing personnel and code of conduct policies. This legislation is common sense and reflects a commitment to good government. Mr. Speaker, if enacted, H.R. 719 will bring greater accountability to TSA's Office of Inspection. This measure will also ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and that past abuses are not repeated. I urge Members to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, for the umpteenth time, men in Congress are leading the charge to limit women's access to health care, but now, instead of just wasting taxpayer dollars and time, they plan to take their outrageous tactics to a whole new level, perhaps shutting down the entire Federal Government if they don't get their way. As the gentlewoman from Massachusetts has already explained, that is absolutely ridiculous. Rather than consider legislation that would fund repairs to our Nation's infrastructure or invest in our schools or create jobs for millions of Americans still out of work, we are considering legislation that would cut off support to an organization that provides vital health services to women and men who might not otherwise have access. Mr. Speaker, Planned Parenthood is, first and foremost, an organization dedicated to women's health. What is more, despite the endless conservative rhetoric to the contrary, Planned Parenthood does not use a single dollar of Federal funds to provide abortions. This is really just a thinly veiled attempt to allow Congress to regulate a woman's uterus, and the end result won't be the end of very legal abortions. It will be the erosion of care, family planning, and medical treatment for thousands of women. Wednesday's Washington Post offered a perfect example. It profiled a single Planned Parenthood clinic in Ohio, a clinic that does not offer abortion services. According to The Post, that clinic sees 7,100 patients each year, most of them young and poor. They administer 3,400 pregnancy tests, they write 2,900 birth control prescriptions, and they provide 13,200 screenings for sexually transmitted infections. Facilities like this make up nearly half of the Planned Parenthood centers nationwide. Cutting their funding will only result in more illness, more unplanned pregnancies, and more babies born to mothers unprepared to care for them. In 2013, Planned Parenthood provided more than 71,000 patients with care in my State, the State of New Jersey. They provided almost 16,000 Pap tests to New Jersey women, and they conducted more than 33,000 breast exams. In a shortsighted response to a series of questionably edited videos and false claims, we are going to take health care away from Americans with few, if any, alternatives. That is not what my constituents elected me for. That is not what they expected me to be doing in Congress. I am here to create jobs, to better educate our young people, and to reform our broken criminal justice system. By no means am I here to relitigate a woman's right to choose. Quite frankly, I am not sure which I am more disgusted by: the fact that we are doing this again, or the fact that I have come to the floor of this House so many times before to express that disgust. I urge my colleagues to consider taking up the work that really matters to the American people. I thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Indian Independence Day and the 11th Annual New Jersey India Day Parade, organized by the Indian Business Association. On August 15, 1947, India won its freedom from the British Empire, raising the Indian national flag at the Red Fort in Delhi. On August 9 of this year, New Jersey's vibrant Indian American community will celebrate that milestone with one of the largest events in the world, drawing more than 35,000 attendees. Oak Tree Road, between Edison and Iselin, will be filled with dozens of floats, marching bands, musicians, and dignitaries, concluding with a cultural program that will offer everyone present the opportunity to see the beautiful traditions of India in addition to modern culture. New Jersey is home to one of the largest Asian Indian populations in the United States, behind California and New York in number, but second to none as a percent of our overall population. They are a thriving group that contributes to our State's economic growth and strength in diversity. I wish everyone well as they prepare for the August festivities and send early Indian Independence Day greetings to all those celebrating in my district.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, this week, the House will consider dangerous legislation on coal ash that will put communities and families in New Jersey in danger. We need strong Federal regulation on coal ash waste. Poor management practices in States like Pennsylvania and New York that border New Jersey affect my constituents' lives. The Delaware River provides drinking water to one-third of New Jersey's municipalities. In 2005, Martins Creek Power Plant in Pennsylvania spilled 100 million gallons of coal ash across 10 acres into the Delaware, contaminating that drinking water with arsenic. Towns surrounding the Delaware, towns that depend on the river for the fishing and recreational activity that drives their economies were devastated. In New York, the EPA found that coal ash from a power station had contaminated groundwater with iron, selenium, manganese, aluminum, and at least 10 other dangerous chemicals. H.R. 1734 not only fails to protect communities from toxic pollution, it undermines legitimate efforts to protect our communities. I urge my colleagues to vote against it. All of our constituents deserve better.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am here this evening to correct the record on women's health. As the only woman in a tristate delegation that includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, I speak for millions of women whose right to abortion was codified by the Supreme Court decades ago. I also speak for the millions more women who don't come from States like New Jersey where clinics that provide a full range of women's health services are accessible, States like Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi where legislatures full of men would love to see those clinics closed for good. Last week another antiabortion group, under the guise of legitimate news, released a doctored video to attack Planned Parenthood. This attack isn't about the trumped-up claims in the video. It is about the same tired efforts to make it harder for women from every walk of life and every corner of the country to make the health choices that work for them. It is sad that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are so quick to hop on that bandwagon. Enough, Mr. Speaker. This is enough already.