Helping Heroes Keep Their Homes Act of 2010

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3967, a bill to amend the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through fiscal year 2015. The funds, approximately $5 million, would be used by the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum in order to build a Justice Learning Center. I would also like to commend my esteemed colleague, Representative Elijah Cummings, for his dedication to the preservation of Black American history.

In 1983, Drs. Elmer and Joanne Martin opened the doors to the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. It is the first wax museum of African-American history in the nation, and the first wax museum in Baltimore, Maryland. The facility was created to stimulate an interest in African-American history by revealing little-known and often neglected facts of history. The founders also sought to improve race relations by dispelling myths of racial inferiority and superiority, as well as use the figures of great leaders to inspire and uplift African Americans to reach their full potential.

In 2004, the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 was signed into law. The act directed the Attorney General to make grants available to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, in part for building a Justice Learning Center, and also for carrying out programs relating to civil rights and juvenile justice. Though the legislation passed, no funds were distributed to the museum and the museum continues to operate on funding from private donors just as it has for the past 27 years. The Justice Learning Center will serve as another venue for the museum to educate and empower citizens with information relating to Black American history. H.R. 3967 gives this Congress an opportunity to support the museum in this project.

Mr. Speaker, fellow colleagues, it is imperative that we support this bill. Should we fail to pass this legislation and appropriate funds to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, great Georgians like Andrew Bryan, founder of the first American black Baptist church, in Savannah, GA, and Julian Bond, a former civil rights leader, United States Congressman, and recent chairman of the NAACP, would go unnoticed and overlooked along with other African-American leaders. In addition to all of the war funding, foreign aid, and domestic agendas we support, I believe our goal should also be to preserve and maintain our rich history for our children and generations yet to come. I urge my colleagues to stand with me and support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3976, an act that seeks to amend the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize more appropriations through the fiscal year of 2015. I also want to thank my colleague, Representative Elijah E. Cummings, for introducing this important legislation.

Today we acknowledge the success and importance of the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., and seek to provide it with appropriations. This bill will amend the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to extend the authorization of appropriations for grants to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland, through 2015. This bill will also carry out programs related to civil rights and juvenile justice through the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice Learning Center.

The National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-238, 118 Stat. 670-672) directs the Attorney General to make a grant to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland, to be used only for carrying out programs relating to civil rights and juvenile justice through the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice Learning Center. To receive a grant, the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., shall submit to the Attorney General a proposal for the use of the grant, which shall include detailed plans for such programs.

The founders of the museum outlined four specific areas that they meant for the museum to cover. First, according to a mission statement they wrote, the founders of the museum wanted the Great Blacks in Wax Museum to stimulate an interest in African-American history by revealing the little-known, often-neglected facts of history. Second, the museum was intended to use great leaders as role models to motivate youth to achieve. Third, the museum should improve race relations by dispelling myths of racial inferiority and superiority. Lastly, the museum supports and works in conjunction with other nonprofit, charitable organizations to seek to improve the social and economic status of African Americans.

The museum's goals are important to achieve in our society. It is important that we cherish and appreciate our history while looking to the future. In the process of this remembrance, we can work for a brighter future.

For the foregoing reasons, I stand with Representative Elijah E. Cummings in support of this act.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3976, ``Helping Heroes Keep their Homes Act of 2009,'' a bill that will prevent mortgage lenders from foreclosing on a veteran's home after their service.

Strengthening comprehensive programs by investing in our veterans, requiring housing counselors to grant more housing opportunities at each Veteran Affairs centers is the right thing to do. It is my distinct honor to stand here today to support a bill that will allow us to show our appreciation to our veterans who are in danger of losing their homes and possibly becoming homeless.

I really find it unacceptable that an estimated 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night after honorably serving their country. We are doing our veterans a great disservice. We owe our veterans the utmost respect, appreciation, and definitely a home to come home to after serving as a member of our Armed Forces. In these challenging economic times, we must do more to provide for our veterans basic needs. H.R. 3976 shows that all Americans take pride in our veterans service to this Nation, and just as the military doesn't believe in leaving a soldier behind on the battlefield, I believe that I speak for all Americans that we don't believe in leaving our veterans behind . . . we must help them push forward.

In these challenging economic times, with returning veterans experiencing unemployment rates in the double digits, we must do more to provide for our veterans' basic needs. This legislation shows that the U.S. is grateful for our veterans' service. Just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, this Nation will leave no veteran behind when they come home. This bill will allow us to show our appreciation and honor the service of veterans who have served this country and who now look to us to serve their needs.

Madam Speaker, these veterans have given great contributions and made incredible personal sacrifices so that all of us in this country might live in a safe and secure nation and world. Ensuring that our veterans are safeguarded from losing their homes is a small step towards repaying the insurmountable debt that all of us owe to all veterans. We must do everything possible to let our veterans know how much we value their service. We would be irresponsible and ungrateful if we acted otherwise.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3976.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3967, which amends the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through 2015. This important measure will extend a program that, for the last six

years, has helped educate the public about the contributions of major African American figures in American history.

I thank Chairmen Rahall and Conyers for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman Cummings, for recognizing the importance of continuing funding for this socially significant program that promotes cross- cultural awareness and appreciation.

Mr. Speaker, black Americans have served honorably in Congress, senior executive branch positions, the law, the judiciary, and many other fields. Black Americans have also had a massive and important impact on cultural life in the United States, from television and cinema to the performing and visual arts. Unfortunately, these contributions are not well known by many in the public and underrepresented in textbooks, history lessons, and, importantly, our nation's museums.

The National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 authorized funds for the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., a museum based in Baltimore, Maryland that celebrates important black figures in American history through the medium of wax sculpture. With Congressional funding, the Great Blacks in Wax Museum has been able to further its mission of bringing recognition to black Americans who have had lasting impacts on our nation. The museum showcases black Americans such as Rosa Parks, Colin Powell, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, Ida B. Wells, and many others.

H.R. 3967 will allow this non-profit organization to continue educating the public about the importance of African Americans to the history of the United States and ensuring that American history does not favor one race or culture over another, but rather accurately reflects the intricate racial and cultural tapestry that defines American society. This mission is one that is, without question, worthy of our support.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3967.

Madam Speaker, if I might digress, I just wanted to thank Mrs. Halvorson on H.J. Res. 80 for introducing the resolution, and the chairman and Mr. Buyer for bringing that joint resolution to the floor. I think that is important to remind all of my colleagues.

Madam Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 3976, as amended, a bill to extend certain expiring provisions providing enhanced protections for servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosure.

Madam Speaker, Public Law 110-289, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, extended the protections against foreclosure and related actions on servicemembers' homes contained in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act from 90 days to 9 months following lengthy deployments. Extensions of these protections will sunset December 31, 2010.

To address the continuing lengthy deployments by our servicemembers, the Veterans Home Preservation Act of 2010 would simply extend the mortgage-related sunset days contained in Public Law 110-289 through December 31, 2015. The bill also adds a new clause that would apply these same mortgage protections to a surviving spouse of a servicemember who dies while in military service and whose death is service connected.

Madam Speaker, these are good provisions that are appropriate given the current economic climate. I thank the authors of the bill, Mr. Perriello, as well as Chairman Herseth Sandlin and Ranking Member Boozman for their fine work, and the Veterans' Affairs Committee chairman, Mr. Filner, and Mr. Buyer, the ranking member, for bringing this legislation to the floor.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3976, as amended, a bill to extend certain expiring provisions providing enhanced protections to servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosure.

I yield back the balance of my time.