Barbara Lee on Technology Democratic Representative (CA-9)

Close digital divide with high-tech training.

The CBC recognizes technology as one of the most important issues minorities must address over the next decade. They are focused on closing the digital divide and moving towards digital empowerment for all Americans.
• Training Workers for the New Economy. The CBC believes that we need to train American workers for high-tech jobs. The majority of the high-wage jobs in the new economy are in the high-tech industry; and the U.S. high-tech industry pays higher wages than any other private sector industry. The H-1B training grants and other high-tech training grants should be targeted to train women, youth, minorities, military veterans and people with disabilities who are now under-represented in the high-tech industry. We will also seek to partner with the high-tech industry on both the hiring and retention of those persons in the previously mentioned groups who already have high-tech skills. We believe in lifelong learning and will work to support programs that help adults continue enhancing both their education and job skills. Technology skills will be critical to helping adults improve their professional standing.

Facilitate nationwide 2-1-1 phone line for human services.

A bill to facilitate nationwide availability of 2-1-1 telephone service for information and referral on human services & volunteer services. Congress makes the following findings:

1. The FCC has assigned 2-1-1 as the national telephone number for information and referral on human services.
2. 2-1-1 facilitates critical connections between families seeking services, including community-based and faith-based organizations.
3. There are approximately 1,500,000 nonprofit organizations in the US [which would be listed in the 2-1-1 service].
4. Government funding supports well-intentioned programs that are not fully utilized because of a lack of access to such programs.
5. A national cost-benefit analysis estimates a net value to society of a national 2-1-1 system approaching $130,000,000 in the first year alone.
6. While 69% of the population has access to 2-1-1 telephone service from a land line in 41 States, inadequate funding prevents access to that telephone service throughout each of the States.
7. 2-1-1 telephone service facilitates the availability of a single repository where comprehensive data on all community services is collected & maintained.

Introductory statement by Sponsor:

Sen. CLINTON: In the immediate aftermath of the devastation of September 11, most people did not know where to turn for information about their loved ones. Fortunately for those who knew about it, 2-1-1 was already operating in Connecticut, and it was critical in helping identify the whereabouts of victims, connecting frightened children with their parents, providing information on terrorist suspects, and linking ready volunteers with victims.

Every single American should have a number they can call to cut through the chaos of an emergency. That number is 2-1-1. It`s time to make our citizens and our country safer by making this resource available nationwide.

Dedicated funds for harbor maintenance.

A BILL To ensure that amounts credited to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are used for harbor maintenance. This Act may be cited as the `Realize America`s Maritime Promise Act` or the `RAMP Act`.

IN GENERAL- The total budget resources made available from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund each fiscal year shall be equal to the level of receipts plus interest credited to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for that fiscal year. Such amounts may be used only for harbor maintenance programs. GUARANTEE- No funds may be appropriated for harbor maintenance programs described in such section unless the amount described in paragraph (1) has been provided.

Sponsored investing $1 billion in transportation projects.

Congressional Summary: TIGER Grants for Job Creation Act: Congress finds the following:

1. The economy is struggling to recover from the recession. The unemployment rate is nearly 8%.
2. The American Society of Civil Engineers` 2009 Report Card for America`s Infrastructure estimated that there is a $549 billion shortfall in investments in roads and bridges and an additional $190 billion shortfall in investments in transit.
3. TIGER, formally known as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant program, is a nationwide competitive grant program that creates jobs by funding investments in transportation infrastructure.

Opponent`s argument against bill:(The Reason Foundation, July 6, 2012):

The US Constitution authorizes Congress `to regulate Commerce...among the several States.` However, the five non-motorized transportation projects, the six transit projects and the six multimodal projects TIGER Grants have funded serve no national need. Some of the port, passenger rai

Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples.

Congressional Summary: Revises the definition of `widow` concerning the transfer of a copyright to an author`s spouse following the author`s death. Declares that an individual is the widow of an author if they were legally married at the time of the author`s death, even if they could not marry in their home state. (Currently, only the author`s surviving spouse under the law of the author`s domicile at the time of death is considered a widow.)

Supporters reasons for voting YEA: (by Human Rights Campaign, hrc.org): This bill would fix wording in the Copyright Act that currently prevents some same-sex couples from receiving inheritance rights. Because of restrictions in current law, some agencies--including the Copyright Office and the Social Security Administration--do not recognize same-sex couples living in states without same-sex marriage equality.

Background: (Wikipedia.com on `U.S. v. Windsor`): Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer, a same-sex couple residing in New York, were lawfully married in Canada, in 2007. Spyer died in 2009, leaving her entire estate to Windsor. Windsor sought to claim the federal estate tax exemption for surviving spouses. She was barred from doing so because the IRS said the exemption only applies to heterosexual couples under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and compelled her to pay $363,053 in estate taxes. The Supreme Court rules 5-4 to overturn DOMA as unconstitutional. [This bill applies that Supreme Court ruling to copyright law].

Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (PopVox blog postings on H.R.238 & S.23):

• OK-3: My concern is that our government believes that just a few more laws and a few more bills and freedom will be perfected. Stop shoving immoral activity down our throats and telling us it`s normal and lawful.
• WV-1: I oppose H.R. 238 because it`s not necessary.
• KY-3: I oppose S.23 because if the spouse remarried, they aren`t a widow/widower anymore.

Let NSF decide research grants, not Congress.

Congressional Summary: Scientific Research in the National Interest Act: This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award federal funding for basic research and education in the sciences only if the grant promotes the progress of science in the United States, is worthy of federal funding, and is in the national interest.

Support on GovTrack.us: Lead sponsor Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21)--chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee--noted the millions of dollars the NSF has doled out for purposes he considers less than worthwhile. In particular, he cited a few examples he considered particularly egregious, including:

• $700,000 to support a climate change-themed musical
• $487,000 to study the Icelandic textile industry during the Viking era
• $516,000 to help amateurs create a video game to `Relive Prom Night`

Opposition on GovTrack.us: The Science Committee`s ranking member, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30) called the bill anti-science. She wrote, `Most Members of Congress lack the relevant expertise to fairly evaluate the merits of any particular grant. If we do not trust the Nation`s scientific experts to make that judgement, then who are we to trust?` Johnson also noted that the NSF already has a rigorous review process, only funding about 1/5 of grant proposals.

White House Opposition: Contrary to its stated purpose, [HR.3293] would add nothing to accountability in Federal funding for scientific research, while needlessly adding to bureaucratic burdens and overhead at the NSF. It would replace the clarity of the [current rules implemented in] 1950, with confusing language that could cast a shadow over the value of basic research.

Legislative outcome: Passed House 236-178-26 (roll call 70, CR H684) on 2/11/16; bill died in Senate committee. The White House had threatened to veto the bill if it passed the Senate.

Permanent preservation of Presidential social media accounts.

A BILL to require the preservation of Presidential social media accounts. This Act may be cited as the `Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically For Engagement Act of 2017` or the `COVFEFE Act of 2017`.

• Requirement for preservation of social media accounts.
• Include `social media` with `films` and other media to be preserved.
• Include any personal and official social media account.
• Define the term `social media` as `any form of electronic communication (such as a website for social networking and microblogging) through which users create an online community to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos).`

MSN.com explanation: @realDonaldTrump tweeted at 12:06 a.m.: `Despite the constant negative press covfefe`. The tweet stood alone -- nothing before it, or after it. Trump deleted the tweet at some point in the 5 a.m. hour, but #covfefe is now a trending hashtag on Twitter. Most people took the `covfefe` to be a typo, although Press Secretary Sean Spicer told the media that the term was used intentionally: `The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant,` he said. Presidential records must be preserved, according to the Presidential Records Act, which would make it potentially illegal for the president to delete tweets. Spicer confirmed they should be taken as official presidential statements: `The president is president of the United States so they are considered official statements by the president of the United States,` he said.

Sponsored bill for net neutrality for open internet.

Summary by Vox.com: The US House of Representatives just passed a bill to bring Obama-era net neutrality rules back to the internet. This time, they want to make these regulations law so the Federal Communications Commission can’t overturn them easily. President Trump has said he will veto the bill should it make it to his desk. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the bill `dead on arrival in the Senate`.

Statement in support by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA-16): `The internet has a profound impact on America`s economy and the social fabric of our nation. It is an important tool to connect individuals to each other and businesses with consumers, said Costa. `Ensuring a free and open internet, with equal access to all, is essential if we are to preserve the American dream.`

Statement in opposition by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-8): `If this legislation became law, the Internet would be slower, more expensive, less free and controlled by Washington,` said Rep. Hudson. `This would hurt our rural communities the most. I`ll continue to work to keep the Internet free from government intervention and open.`

Statement in opposition by Rep. Don Bacon (R-NC-8): `Previous regulations led to additional expenses for 80% of providers in rural areas leading to delayed or reduced network expansion and services,` said Rep. Bacon. `This bill would also lay the groundwork for the government for eventually taxing the internet.` The internet is now operating under the same regulations that governed, and facilitated its expansive growth, from the mid 1990`s until 2015. Some Democrats predicted that the return of those regulations would lead to limited access of the internet. None of those scenarios came true.

Legislative outcome: Bill passed House 232-190-10 on April 10, 2019, rollcall #167. [The 116th Congress terminated with no Senate action on this bill].

Create online database of science & math scholarships.

Directs the Secretary of Education to establish and maintain, on the public website of the Department of Education, a database of information on public and private programs of financial assistance for the study of postsecondary and graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Requires that such database:
1. provide separate information for each field of study;
2. be searchable by category and combinations of categories;
3. indicate programs targeted toward specific demographic groups;
4. provide searchers with program sponsor contact information and hyperlinks; and
5. include a recommendation that students and families carefully review application requirements and a disclaimer that scholarships presented in the database are not provided or endorsed by the Department or the federal government.