Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I would like to stand in solidarity with the families as well as the victims of the Sikh Temple shooting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which took place on Sunday, August 5, 2012.

Six people were killed and four wounded, including a police officer, in this horrific violence as people sought to peacefully worship with family and neighbors in their sanctuary. Observation and practice of one's religion should be inviolate, but on that fateful Sunday, it was so heinously violated.

While what causes someone to do such a dastardly deed will remain a mystery to all, faith will console where reason cannot. We can find some solace in the heroism displayed by those in the line of fire, who as ordinary citizens and first-responders risked their lives and limbs to protect others.

The shooter, blinded by ignorance and hate, underestimated the strength and resolve of the Sikh community. Upon hearing of the shooting, Sikh congregations around the country dedicated their services to the victims of the shooting. The Sikh community will overcome this tragedy and we as a country will support them because what impacts them directly impacts all indirectly.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the Aurora, Colorado shooting, which took place on July 20, 2012.

Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded in this senseless carnage, as they sought to enjoy a film with their family and friends. Compounding this tragedy, among the victims were children and U.S. service-members, who had bravely fought for this country.

While we will never truly understand what causes someone to take the lives of others in cold blood, faith will console where reason cannot. We must find solace in the admirable examples of courage in the line of fire, as ordinary citizens risked life and limb to help each other.

The shooter underestimated the strength and resolve of the community of Aurora. Aurora will overcome this tragedy and we as a country will support them because what impacts them directly impacts us all indirectly.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the memory of a spiritual leader and visionary from Houston, Texas, Reverend Dr. J.J. Roberson.

Dr. Roberson will be remembered as a distinguished minister, husband, father, Master Barber, and World War II Veteran. He has inspired our community with his work as the Founder and Pastor Emeritus of Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church. During his 50-year tenure as Pastor of Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. Roberson was credited with expanding the size of the sanctuary and for increasing the church membership to over 2,000.

Dr. Roberson was consistently recognized for his outstanding leadership as President of the Baptist Ministers Association of Houston & Vicinity. He was inducted into the Religious Hall of Fame in Dallas in 2011, as well as the Visionary Pastors Hall of Fame in Houston in 2012.

As we say goodbye to a courageous leader and man of God, we acknowledge that our community has lost a resounding voice for justice, fairness, and equal opportunity. Although this is a significant loss, we find consolation in knowing that many of our lives have been forever changed because Dr. J.J. Roberson lived.

While I will indeed miss his physical presence, I will continue to admire his spirit and passion for helping those who are the least, the last, and the lost among us. To many, Dr. Roberson was a pillar within our community and a great preacher; but for me not only was Dr. Roberson a dynamic religious leader, he was a mentor, trusted advisor, and beloved friend.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was unavoidably detained and missed the following votes:

1. H.R. 6018--To authorize appropriations for the Department of State for fiscal year 2013, and for other purposes, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

2. S. 2009--Insular Areas Act of 2011. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this message is only for persons who may get sick. If you will never get sick, this message is not for you, N-O-T, not for you. Only for those who will get sick.

Mr. Speaker, I hold in my left hand a copy of the Affordable Care Act. I hold in my right hand the replacement bill that my colleagues across the aisle have been talking about.

This bill has passed the Congress of the United States of America. It is more than 2,000 pages. It was condemned for being too long, which may explain the size of this bill. This bill has within it preventive care. This bill has within it a cap on administrative costs. You must spend 80 to 85 percent of the money that insurance companies collect on health care. This bill protects persons who are under 26 years of age, as they can stay on their parents' insurance. This bill covers persons with preexisting conditions.

I had to read this bill. My constituents insisted that I read this bill before voting on it.

And my constituents want me to read this bill. This is the replacement bill, and they want me to be sure that I understand the replacement bill before I vote to repeal.

So what I'd like to do now, for all within the sound of my voice and who are viewing this, I want to read the replacement bill. I shall read the replacement bill. Let me just read half of it first. I shall now read one-half of the replacement bill. Now, I shall read the other half of the replacement bill.

Now, some of you will say, Al, you read too fast; I didn't pick up all of that. So, for those who listen slowly, or those who may have missed it, I shall now read the replacement bill in its entirety. That's the replacement bill.

Here is the bill that we can read. I'm going to ask that I be allowed to place the replacement bill in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that persons consider the empirical evidence as well as the invisible evidence. When you weigh the empirical evidence against the invisible evidence, you decide whether we should vote to repeal.

Now, there may be some who contend, well, Al, really, I'd just like to go back to the way things were. Let's quickly go back to the way things were. Gladys Knight had a song titled, ``The Way We Were.''

Here is the way we were in 2009. In 2009, when we were considering replacement, we were spending $2.5 trillion a year on health care. That's a big number. Hard to get your mind around it. That's $79,000 a second. It was, at that time, 17.6 percent of the GDP.

We were spending $100 billion a year on persons who were uninsured. It was projected that by 2018 we'd spend $4.4 trillion, which would have been 20.3 percent of GDP, which is $139,000 a second.

In my State of Texas we had 6 million people who were uninsured. In Harris County, where I have my congressional district, we had 1.1 million people who were uninsured. Twenty percent of the State's children were uninsured. Fifty million Americans were uninsured. 45,000 persons per year were dying because of a lack of insurance. That's one person every 12 minutes.

And if you don't like that, call Harvard. I got the statistics from Harvard.

The system was not sustainable. This is why we embarked upon producing this bill.

So I beg that those who insisted that I read this bill before voting, please understand that before you vote, you ought to read this bill and compare the two.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was unavoidably detained and missed the following votes:

H.R. 4155--Veteran Skills to Jobs Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

H.R. 4367--To amend the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to limit the fee disclosure requirement for an automatic teller machine to the screen of that machine. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

H.R. 5892--Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2012. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the 75th birthday of a respected community and business leader, Howard Jefferson. Born in Mississippi, on this day in 1937, Mr. Jefferson rose from humble beginnings to preeminence in Houston, Texas.

He excelled in school, graduating from Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. In 1962, he was the recipient of the prestigious Academic Year Fellowship in Science and Mathematics from the University of Texas. Mr. Jefferson received a Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston in 1967.

A born scholar and educator, Mr. Jefferson finished his education and quickly rose to the position of Assistant Superintendent in the Houston Independent School District, where he supervised over 120 schools and eight area superintendents. He later retired and went on to become the Chairman of Protectors Insurance and Financial Services, LLC as well as the Protectors Health Partners, LLC.

Mr. Jefferson has held leadership positions on various boards and commissions, including President of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Houston Branch, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Houston Housing Authority, Chairman of the Veterans Advisory Committee, Vice President of the Houston Principals Association, Vice President of the Mustang Little League Football Team and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Operation PULL. He has also been a member of numerous boards and commissions, including the Harris County Board of Education, Shell Oil Company Diversity Advisory Board and City of Houston Urban Policy Advisory Board.

Mr. Jefferson's leadership and community service have been consistently recognized by his colleagues. Amongst other honors, Mr. Jefferson has received the State of Texas NAACP Heroes Award, the NAACP Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award, National Baptist Association Humanitarian Award, Houston Lawyers Association Outstanding Services Award, Houston Black Fire Fighters Service Award and had a day pronounced in the city of Houston in his honor by Houston mayor Lee P. Brown.

Mr. Speaker, I am blessed to have the opportunity to pay tribute to a man who so selflessly acts as an agent for change and a coalition builder. He is an exemplar for all those who aspire to selflessly serve others, and most of all he is a friend.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the memory of a pillar in the Sunnyside community in Houston, Texas, Bishop Robert C. Jefferson, Pastor of the Cullen Missionary Baptist Church. With exceptional dedication, Bishop Jefferson served his community and advocated for the betterment of society.

Bishop Jefferson was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 12, 1942. He accepted his calling into the gospel ministry in March 1976 and was ordained at Mount Horeb Baptist Church in Houston under the pastoral leadership of the late Reverend Johnnie Jones. In March 1977, he founded Cullen Missionary Baptist Church and faithfully served there for the rest of his life.

A champion of the downtrodden and underserved, Bishop Jefferson founded and was active on a host of community organizations. He was a Founding Member of Ministers Against Crime, an organization that is active in issues involving inequities and civil rights in the Greater Houston Area. He was also the Founder of Sunnyside Up, Inc., a community development project; Founder/President of A Brand New City, Inc; Founder/President of the Cullen Christian Child Development Center; the former Second Vice President and Director of Religious Affairs of the NAACP Houston Branch; and a former member of the Houston Independent School District Board.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, Bishop Jefferson will be dearly missed by his wife, Myrtle, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, as well as his four daughters, Lola, Vanessa, Lisa and Robertine. He will be remembered in the City of Houston as a dedicated community leader and a principled man of God.

Mr. Speaker, a great and noble President, Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth. It was government of the people, by the people, for the people, that gave us Social Security and Medicare.

But I regret to inform you today, Mr. Speaker, that government of the people, by the people, for the people is at risk--and it is at risk because there is a new concept that is evolving. It is government of the money, by the money, for the money. It is the notion that he who has the gold rules, changing the Golden Rule, Father.

I want you to know, dear friends, that if we do nothing, we will find ourselves with a new form of government. The Republic is at risk. We must do something about government of the money, by the money, for the money.

The DISCLOSE Act is one thing that we can do. We must act and pass the DISCLOSE Act.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the memory of a trailblazer, Dr. Zeb Ferdinand Poindexter, Jr. With exceptional distinction, Dr. Poindexter served his community and acted as a role model for young people from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Poindexter was born in Forth Worth, TX on April 5, 1929. He excelled in school, graduating from Wiley College with a B.S. in 1949 and then Texas Southern University with an M.S. in Endocrinology in 1952. Dr. Poindexter, upon completion of his Master of Science, served our great nation as a Second Lieutenant and later Captain in the United States Air Force. Later, he and the University of Texas (UT) took a bold and historically meaningful step forward when he was accepted into University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston. He became the first African American to receive a doctoral degree from the school in 1956.

Dr. Poindexter's graduation from and association with the University of Texas (UT) literally changed the image of UT. His indelible example can continue to impact future generations of UT graduates, should UT take another bold and historically meaningful step forward by naming the School of Dentistry in his honor. It would symbolize his commitment to UT, and memorialize UT's commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

After receiving his degree from UT, Dr. Poindexter opened the first dental clinic in south Houston. The clinic still stands as a landmark to his achievement in the Sunnyside neighborhood. After establishing his practice, he went on to form the Zeb F. Poindexter, Jr. Chapter of the Student National Dental Association, and become the first black member of both the University of Texas Dental School faculty and the Houston District Dental Society.

Dr. Poindexter's leadership and community service have been consistently recognized by his colleagues. Amongst other honors, Dr. Poindexter became the president of the Gulf State Dental Association, life member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, board member of the Urban League, and received the University of Texas Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1990.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Poindexter will be dearly missed by his wife of 58 years, Ruby Poindexter, son, Dr. Zeb F. Poindexter, III, and daughters, Merlene Russell and Eleanor Patricia Dixon. He is also survived by his sisters, Revodia Johnson, Vandetta King, his brother, James Poindexter, and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great- grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. He will be remembered in the city of Houston as a dedicated public servant and principled leader.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the memory of an exceptional public servant and psychiatric nurse, Doris B. McMillan. A loving mother, godmother, grandmother and great- grandmother, Mrs. McMillan devoted her life to serving her family and community.

Mrs. McMillan was born in New York City on July 8, 1928. She was educated in New York City, graduating from the Psychiatric Institute of Nursing in Rockland County and then completed her graduate studies at Long Island University Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University and Glassboro State College.

After Mrs. McMillan completed her studies, she started her career as a school nurse in New Jersey with the Cape May County Special Services School. Mrs. McMillan excelled in her profession, she went on to work as a nurse at the Atlantic County Jail, and also became the supervisor and director of nursing at Harborfields Juvenile Correction Facility. Mrs. McMillan worked tirelessly for the underserved in society, frequently serving as an advocate for female inmates in county jails.

In addition to her lifelong service in her community, Mrs. McMillan volunteered her time with several organizations, including The Red Cross, The Advisory Commission on the Status of Women and the American Association of Retired People.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, Doris B. McMillan leaves to cherish her legacy a host of friends and family members, including her beloved son, Minister Robert Muhammad of Houston.

I thank the chairman; I thank the ranking member; and I thank all who support this piece of legislation.

This is but a reaffirmation of our support to our ally Israel. I think that it gives us an opportunity to make it clear that Israel has the complete support of the United States of America.

Israel has been one of the beacons of democracy in the neighborhood. It does have elections, and it does have opportunities for government to change. These are the kinds of things that we value in this country: the rights of people to make a difference in their own lives.

Aside from this, we have a duty, when one country has been threatened with complete elimination, to do what we can to prevent this. I think that this is a part of that prevention that will help make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, the State of Israel is the premiere functioning democracy in the Middle East and has been a steadfast ally of our great nation since its inception. I would like to congratulate the state of Israel on the 64th anniversary of its independence. The citizens of Israel have persevered in the face of great adversity to establish and maintain a free and democratic nation in their homeland.

Israel was founded on the principles of a shared destiny of the Jewish people and their cultural heritage. Despite the acts of violence and wars that have ensued, Israel has persisted in its pursuit of its right to exist in the Middle East. Israel has also played the important role of a refuge for the Jewish people, as well as African peoples, who have suffered great atrocities.

I speak from my heart, having personally witnessed the beauty and majesty of Israel and its people. I have prayed before the Wailing Wall and gazed at the skyline of Jerusalem. Let us today reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our great friend and ally, Israel.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to honor the memory of a noble public servant and spiritual leader, Delores Thomas Hadnott. With singular dedication, Ms. Hadnott devoted her life to faithfully serving her community.

Ms. Hadnott was born in Arcadia, LA on December 31, 1951. Her parents instilled within her the importance of education and the drive to help others. In 1972, she received her B.A. degree in Sociology from Grambling State University in only three years, while serving as salutatorian, class president and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

After Ms. Hadnott completed Management Training at the University of Houston, she started her thirty-six year career with the American Red Cross--Greater Houston Area Chapter. Ms. Hadnott excelled in her position, becoming the office director of the southeast branch office in 1987. Ms. Hadnott worked tirelessly to advocate for the betterment of Houston and under-served individuals.

In addition to her lifelong service in her community, Ms. Hadnott acted in several roles at the Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church. Through her unselfish hard work and virtue, she eventually became the assistant church secretary, a member of the finance committee, program coordinator for the Mission Society and a Sunday school instructor.

Ms. Hadnott's leadership and community service have been consistently recognized by her colleagues. Mayor Lee Brown honored her on May 9, 2002 when he proclaimed it Delores Hadnott Day in the City of Houston. In 2006, she received the 42nd Annual Founders' Day, Sojourner Truth Crystal and Professional awards. In 2009, I had the honor to present her with the 2009 Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, Delores Thomas Hadnott will be missed dearly by her daughter, Crystal Denise, son, Lawrence Oliver, stepson, Lawrence Isaiah, grandson, Ashton Josiah, and daughter-in-law, Shakwanna. She will be remembered in the City of Houston as a dedicated public servant and valued community leader. May she rest in the peace she has so richly earned.

Mr. Speaker, the Houston Chronicle reports today that a proud father announced over his Facebook page that his baby was born. The baby was born on April 14, 2012. The baby weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 20 inches long. He was a proud father announcing the arrival of his baby.

I regret to say, Mr. Speaker, that the Chronicle goes on to report that yesterday the mother of this child, while taking the child in to receive medical attention, was killed. A proud father announces the arrival of his baby, and the mother is killed days later.

What kind of country are we becoming? I don't know what the motive is for this, but I do know the results. I know that a baby will not have its natural mother there to care and to nurture. I know that the mother won't be there on the first day of school, won't be there to see the first step that the child will take. The mother won't be there to turn on the light and protect the child from the creatures of the night, to pitch the ball and catch the child after a fall. I don't know what the motive was, but I know that a mother won't be there when the child walks across the stage to graduate from high school, when the child is married, and the first child is born to the next generation. The mother won't be there.

Regardless as to what the motive is, we must stop this senseless violence. I don't know what the race of the perpetrator was, but I do know that people of goodwill want to see this person prosecuted, and I want to see this person prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law permits. This senseless violence has to stop.

Prosecution alone won't do it. I think we do have to say more and do more, and let the country know that this is not the America that we see in our future. We have got to condemn all of this senseless violence. This senseless violence goes beyond race. It goes beyond status. This senseless violence has to be denounced by every one of us, and every one of us tries to do it as regularly as we can. I just want to join the choir of people who are saying that we will not tolerate it, we demand prosecution, and we understand that we must end this foolishness. Because if we don't end it, it will be our end.