Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Patricia Ann Payne, who recently retired after 52 dedicated years of teaching and mentoring in the Indianapolis Public Schools system.

Mrs. Payne, a proud graduate of Indianapolis Public Schools and Indiana University in Bloomington, began her five-decade career in education and public service as an elementary school teacher. In the first 25 years of her career, she brought her inspirational teaching style to young students at three different schools.

Mrs. Payne has long been a devoted advocate for teaching African American history in our schools. In 1987, she was assigned the special responsibility of designing and directing the IPS Office of African Centered/Multicultural Education. In 1998, she became Director of the Crispus Attucks Museum of African/African American History on the campus of Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School. She continued this important work until her retirement, and it will be a key part of her lasting legacy in Indianapolis.

Mrs. Payne's exemplary career is reflected in the many awards and accolades she has received. Chief among her many well deserved honors was being named 1984 IPS Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year the following year. In 2010, she received the Living Legend Award from Community Action of Greater Indianapolis. In 2012, she was the recipient of the Congresswoman Julia Carson Community Service Award. Most recently, in 2013, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Payne opened the hearts and minds of our children, encouraging them to have a positive effect in their community and the world. Mrs. Payne embodies all that Hoosiers stand for--a strong work ethic, a commitment to public service and a desire to better the community. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Payne for her years of service to Indianapolis Public Schools, the City of Indianapolis and all Hoosiers.

Mr. Speaker, on May 6, 2014, I missed rollcall vote 194 and 195. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 194 and ``yes'' on rollcall 195.

Mr. Speaker, on May 9, 2014, I missed rollcall vote 210. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, on April 10, 2014, I missed rollcall vote 177. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor La Plaza, whose tireless work over the past ten years has blessed thousands in my hometown of Indianapolis.

La Plaza exists to serve, empower, and integrate the Latino community of Central Indiana. The organization was founded in 2004 through the merger of Hispanic Education Center, Fiesta Indianapolis and El Centro Hispano. By bringing together the separate resources and services under one organizational umbrella, La Plaza committed to provide strong programming under a more efficient model. Today, La Plaza continues to fulfill this charge through its mission of strengthening Central Indiana by advocating and preparing Latino students for educational success and by connecting Latino families to health and social services.

La Plaza is Central Indiana's largest provider of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to Latino families. The organization's work is increasingly important as the Latino population in Indianapolis continues to grow. Data from the 2010 Census shows a 154 percent increase in the number of Hispanics in Marion County, increasing from 33,000 to more than 84,000 in the last 10 years.

Serving as a trusted liaison between Central Indiana Latinos and the community at large, La Plaza connects over 5,000 individuals each year to over 20 community partners to deliver high-quality health and social services. The range of services spans from providing a pediatric and dentistry clinic to case management and basic needs assistance. La Plaza's educational initiatives additionally serve over 2,000 elementary to college-aged students. These programs help encourage and support Latino youth to excel in school and to pursue a post-secondary education. La Plaza also provides many of these first-generation college students with scholarships to ease the financial burden of college.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring La Plaza for its efforts to strengthen and integrate the growing Latino community in Central Indiana by providing them with vital educational and social services.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the boy's basketball team at Arsenal Technical High School which is part of Indianapolis Public School district. The Titans were crowned the Division 4A Indiana State Boys Basketball Champions on March 30, 2014 after capturing the state title with a 63-59 victory in front of a sold out crowd at Indianapolis Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

As a graduate of Arsenal Tech, I am proud of this team's achievements. The Titans made their first appearance in the state finals in 1929, and 85 years later they earned their first state championship. Their accomplishment is also significant because it has been 34 years since an Indianapolis Public School program has won this title. Additionally, all the Tech fans, in particular the energetic student body should be recognized for their enthusiasm and pride in their team.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Arsenal Technical High School Titans, coaches, school officials, teachers and the greater Indianapolis community on their accomplishments this season.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As a former law enforcement officer from the great State of Indiana, I am a very proud supporter of this resolution to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2013. The 111 officers who will be honored in May have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their local communities.

Compared to last year, the number of officers slain has decreased by 8 percent. This represents the fewest number of officers killed since 1959. In addition, 2013 had the lowest number of officer deaths related to firearms since 1887. Every life taken is one too many, so any reduction is significant to our officers, to their families, and to the communities they serve. Sadly, my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, is still grieving one of our own who was killed in the line of duty last year.

Officer Rod Bradway, a 41-year-old Indianapolis Metro police officer, was killed while responding to a domestic violence dispute on September 20, 2013. Officer Bradway was a 5-year veteran of the police department, and is survived by his wife and two teenage daughters. He had already received the Indianapolis Police Department's Medal of Bravery, and he had previously served as a Wayne Township firefighter and EMT.

Thousands of residents of Indianapolis turned out for Officer Bradway's memorial service in downtown Indianapolis. They believe, as I do, that he was a hero who died while serving others. My deepest condolences go to Officer Bradway's family and to the rest of the hardworking Metro police officers.

I strongly support this bill because I know that the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service will show the proper respect to Officer Bradway and to all other law enforcement officers who have given everything to protect our communities. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this tribute to our fallen law enforcement officers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to commend my very close and dear friend, Congressman Hoyer, for his dedication to the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby and for introducing this resolution on behalf of the Washington regional delegation.

I support today's resolution, which authorizes the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby to use the Capitol Grounds. This event provides a terrific opportunity for children to learn the values of craftsmanship and competition as they build and race their vehicles.

The very first soap box derby race in Washington, D.C., was run in 1938, and for the last 20 years, the official race site has been on Capitol Hill. With race cars approaching speeds of 25 miles per hour on Constitution Avenue, this event provides a real thrill for kids and adults alike from across the region. Winners of this event go on to compete in the national competition in Akron, Ohio, where they compete against kids from all over the world.

On race day, every Greater Washington Soap Box Derby participant starts the race with the chance to become a world champion. I support this terrific opportunity for the children of Washington, D.C., and I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this great resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, may I ask my colleague, the honorable chairman, Mr. Barletta, if he has any other speakers.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention, once again, to an issue that some in this Congress seem to have forgotten: the millions of Americans who are unemployed or are working for wages that cannot support their families.

Imagine being told that you have to support your family for the rest of your life with just a month's paycheck. If it sounds impossible to manage, it is because far too often it is.

Low-income families have to make impossible choices between food and medicine. They often live in unsafe neighborhoods and send their kids to subpar schools because they have no other option. Getting paid the minimum wage has always been difficult, but it is getting harder year after year.

If the minimum wage had been tied to inflation in 1960, it would be $10.10 today, or just over $20,000 per year. Now, someone making this today wouldn't be wealthy, but working full-time might at least allow them to make ends meet. For me, this is what our country is really all about. If you work hard, you can build a life for yourself and your family.

Madam Speaker, this is why I am a very proud cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which finally raises the minimum wage for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues oppose this very bill, claiming that raising the minimum wage should be a State-by-State decision. Now, that is fine if your State chooses

to raise its minimum wage, but if not, your constituents are no better off. They are still making $7.25 an hour.

So I have just one question: If you are a well-intentioned, patriotic Republican who wants to leave the decision up to the States, are you prepared to explain to your constituents why they are worth less to you than the people across State lines?

For my part, I do not want low-wage Hoosiers to make less than those in other States just because our general assembly decides not to act. Of course, I understand the argument that some people may work fewer hours and some may even lose their jobs. This may be true. But it is important to remember that we have raised our minimum wage in the past, and in the past, the very same argument has proven itself to be untrue. So I am very optimistic that American employers, and particularly Hoosier employers in my congressional district, will do what they can to weather a minimum wage increase without letting folks go.

Now, unfortunately, this is not the only unnecessary struggle Congress has laid on America's low-income families this year. Today, our well-intentioned, patriotic Republican leaders continue to block an extension of emergency unemployment insurance, and because of congressional inaction, nearly 2 million Americans, Madam Speaker, were instantly cut off from their benefits in December, with 72,000 more being cut off each week.

Many of my Republican friends have painted unemployment benefits as a slush fund for certain lazy Americans. This is not only incredibly offensive, it is untrue. Americans want to work, but in many communities, there are simply no jobs available. In our economic downturn, Madam Speaker, everything from restaurants to machine shops to retail stores closed their doors and are only now starting to come back.

In Indianapolis, many Hoosiers are finding they no longer have the skills necessary for the modern workforce. Educated men and women with years of experience have to retrain before they even get rehired. Others have seen their industries simply disappear and have to prepare themselves for an entirely new career. This is far from laziness. Retraining and looking for a job is hard work with no pay. These Americans deserve our help covering expenses while they get back on their feet.

Madam Speaker, my good House Republican friends have yet to bring a real jobs bill to the floor in the 113th Congress, instead, focusing continually on deregulation and repealing the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, they overlook that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do, putting our country back on track.

Mr. Speaker, on January 16, 2014, I missed rollcall votes 22 and 23 because of district business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 22 and ``no'' on rollcall 23.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of a great man who represented Indianapolis in Congress for twenty years. After a life of dedicated service to his city and country, former Congressman Andrew Jacobs, Jr. passed away on December 28, 2013.

I was privileged to know Congressman Jacobs from a very young age and considered him family. He served as an invaluable mentor and dear friend to my grandmother, Julia Carson, who he hired to work in his Indianapolis congressional office in 1965. It was Andy's faith and encouragement that inspired my grandmother to run for state representative in 1972, and his support of her never wavered.

At an early age, Andy took an interest in me as well and imparted wisdom while serving as a role model. He continued as a valued mentor, even long after he left office. With Andy's passing, our nation lost a man who was resolutely courageous, both in his service as a Marine in Korea, and in public life.

People will likely recall that he helped strengthen Social Security, fought for civil rights, and was unrelentingly frugal with taxpayer dollars. But his true legacy is that of a man who took the path less traveled, one of principle, no matter what advantages he sacrificed to do so.

While in Congress, Andy never took a donation from a political action committee, he never attacked an opponent, and he never put his name on his office door in Washington, D.C., explaining that ``the seat belonged to the people I serve, not to me.'' He was a selfless public servant, who never cared about station or the trappings of office.

Andy was a man of rapier wit. And though he used it often to hilarious effect in disarming the infrequent angry constituent or political foe, he was never caustic or maligning. He upheld the dignity of all. This is undoubtedly why he forged enduring friendships with, and held the respect of, many across the aisle.

For some time now, Andy has penned a weekly ``Thought Bite'' for Nuvo, a local Indianapolis newspaper. On December 18, it read: ``If there's one thing I hate, its hate.'' I cannot think of a better self- assessment for a man whose heart had unlimited capacity to see the goodness in everyone.

In sum, Andy was a model of decency, compassion, servant-leadership, thoughtfulness, and civility. I pray that God rests his soul and gives peace and comfort to his wife, Kim, his sons Andy and Steven, and to the countless others for whom Andy is ``family.''

Thank you to my dear colleague from Nevada, Congressman Horsford, also to my colleague from Brooklyn, Representative Jeffries, and also Chairwoman Marcia Fudge of the CBC.

Mr. Speaker, a special ed teacher contacted my office last month, worried about cuts to food stamps and the impact that they would have on her classroom. One of her sixth grade students had burst into tears in the middle of her lesson because she heard on the news that benefits would be cut on November 1.

Mr. Speaker, this teacher was compassionate enough to take the child's concerns quite seriously. She gave them a voice by contacting our office. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to be this child's voice--and the voice of all of those who live in the wealthiest Nation on Earth but still live in hunger.

Mr. Speaker, if you look at the list of the most food insecure districts in the country, you see populations of every race and every ethnicity. Even in the State with the least food insecurity, 15 percent of families still struggle to find their next meal. So while I speak today as a member of the esteemed Congressional Black Caucus, we stand with all Americans.

Sadly, my congressional district in the great Hoosier State of Indiana holds the dubious distinction of having one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the entire country. Over 30 percent of families in Indiana struggle to put food on the table and don't always know where their next meal is coming from.

To be clear, this is not a criticism of the local food banks or not- for-profits that serve the poor very honorably. Hoosiers take care of one another, which is why we have some of the best service organizations in the entire country. But sadly, even the best food banks can't pull food out of thin air.

Over the past few years, Mr. Speaker, I have heard from many Indiana food banks that donations are down as more people struggle to make ends meet in our economic downturn. With high unemployment and underemployment, Federal assistance simply isn't buying enough food to meet their demand. The shelves just aren't as full as they used to be. This leaves many low-income constituents to rely on SNAP, also known as food stamps, a program that will be cut by $5 billion next year as recovery provisions expire.

Even with ideal funding levels, food stamps never means large, multicourse meals for poor families. The average person receives less than $1.50 per meal.

For many of these families, Mr. Speaker, a healthful meal is already a luxury that remains out of reach. These families just want to put food on the table. The program means a few hundred dollars a month per family, which is enough for some bread, cereal, and canned food, but rarely is it enough for fresh vegetables or meat. No one gets rich off of food stamps, but at least they can eat. Yet, for some reason, the program remains one of the prime targets of the Members of Congress who are now fighting to cut nearly 4 million people from this program. This is unacceptable, and it has real-life implications.

Fortunately, in our district, the Seventh Congressional District of Indiana, we have the Indy Hunger Network, the Butler University's Center for Urban Ecology, the Indiana Healthy Weight Initiative, Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration, FSSA, and the Indy Food Council. They are working with our local farmers' markets to encourage people who are receiving assistance to reinvest in our local economy by matching the SNAP dollars spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. These types of partnerships are not supported when we decide to cut benefits and eligibility. We must invest in these types of creative initiatives, programs that feed our communities and incentivize healthy living, programs that create jobs and rebuild our economy so that people are fed and healthy enough to go to school, to work and to contribute to our economy.

Some of my colleagues argue that our debt is out of control, that we need to rein in spending, and that every American should be asked to sacrifice equally, but we have to put this thing into perspective. If you are a person who makes millions of dollars every year, you might lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe. If you own a business, you might decide to invest a little less. By contrast, if you make a minimum wage and live under the poverty line year after year, what might you lose? Monetarily, very little--$50 here, $100 there. There would be a small impact on our debt, but that small amount--those few dollars here and there--equates to food on the table.

When looking for so-called ``equitable treatment,'' no one is ever asking a wealthy person to go hungry, but that is exactly what some of my Republican colleagues are doing with their proposal to cut $39 billion to SNAP. They are suggesting that some Americans, like those in poor neighborhoods in Indianapolis, simply don't deserve to eat because it is too expensive. Other Republicans argue that SNAP is only meant as a temporary stopgap.

For most people, Mr. Speaker, poverty isn't a temporary stop on the way to prosperity. If a family is fortunate enough to pull itself out of poverty, it could take many years, maybe even a decade. Unfortunately, our recession pushed many families in the wrong direction, costing jobs, incomes, and homes. It also moved people deeper into poverty. This means more children will go to school on empty stomachs. It means more aging seniors already on

fixed incomes are forced to choose between buying groceries and medication. It means more poverty, not less. In fact, between 2007 and 2012, during the height of the Great Recession, the number of food stamp users rose 77 percent because more people needed them.

I am standing here with my brilliant and esteemed colleagues, Representative Horsford and Representative Jeffries and the Congressional Black Caucus, because our districts are some of the hardest hit, but this isn't a Black issue, Mr. Speaker. This is a nationwide problem that impacts every color and ethnicity in every city, county, and town. Yet some of our colleagues in this House are willing to ignore millions of their constituents--those who are struggling to eat--just to pass a bill to cut SNAP by $39 billion. We should be increasing SNAP funding, not decreasing it. We should learn the lessons of European austerity measures. We should be debating an extension of expiring provisions to avoid benefit reductions next year. We should be focused on ending hunger in America, not just on cutting programs that might reduce the debt.

Mr. Speaker, as I close, many of us take for granted that we can grab a sandwich or make a salad when we need to eat. Most people here--I know I will--will celebrate Thanksgiving next week and will have tables full of good food, some of the best food that money can buy. Yet, for many in America, Thanksgiving is just another day spent in hunger. For these people, a traditional Thanksgiving meal is simply out of reach. Yet we believe that struggling families across the country would say that, on Thanksgiving, they are thankful for any amount of food they can buy--the food that SNAP helps them buy.

Instead of taking this away, let's fight for a higher quality of life, and let's stand together to make sure our neighbors, our children, and our vulnerable seniors never go hungry.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 185, which designates the United States courthouse in Sherman, Texas, as the Paul Brown United States Courthouse.

Judge Brown was a highly respected member not only of the Federal judicial community but also in the Sherman, Texas, community. After serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, he returned to Texas to continue his education and received his law degree from the University of Texas Law School in

1950. In 1953, Mr. Speaker, he was appointed as an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.

In 1959, President Eisenhower appointed Judge Brown as the United States attorney in the Eastern District, where he served until 1961. He returned to private practice in Sherman from 1961 to 1985 and enjoyed a reputation as an outstanding civil litigation lawyer. President Reagan later nominated him to become a Federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas in 1985.

Judge Brown presided over cases that involved bank and savings and loan failures of the 1980s and early 1990s, as well as many intellectual property and patent cases. Judge Brown was also a prominent member of the community, serving as a board member of Medical Plaza Hospital, president of the Sherman School Board, and president of the Optimist Club of Sherman.

Judge Brown assumed senior status in April 2001 and later died in 2006 after 21 years of distinguished service on the Federal bench. This designation is a fitting tribute to his career as a veteran and respected jurist.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting H.R. 185.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to introduce a bill to amend to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to reauthorize the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program.

First authorized in 2000, the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program has a proven history of saving taxpayer money by investing in cost effective projects that are designed to reduce injuries, loss of life, and damage and destruction of property in the event of a disaster. As the old adage goes: an ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold.

This is true for the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program. In 2005, the Multi Hazard Mitigation Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences found that for every $1 spent on mitigation, $4 was saved in potential disaster costs. Other corollary benefits and indirect savings at the local level and within the business sector were also identified. Moreover, the Congressional Budget Office confirmed the cost savings of the program. Using a different analysis, the CB0 found in 2007 that for every $1 spent on mitigation, $3 was saved in potential disaster costs.

But it is not just empirical studies that have confirmed the benefits of this program. There are numerous examples of flood control projects, voluntary acquisitions of real property located in flood zones, and the construction of safe rooms that have saved lives and prevented future damage. Areas that have experienced flood damage in the past, and have flooded again, experienced reduced or no damage thanks to effective mitigation. For instance, in Iowa, pre-disaster mitigation funds were used to purchase riverfront homes from homeowners that had suffered flood damage and then converted to green space. When the area subsequently flooded again, there was no new damage, thanks to the pre- disaster mitigation efforts.

With today's ongoing fiscal challenges, increasingly severe storms, and escalating effects of climate change, it makes sense for our country to prepare for these disasters now in order to prevent or reduce damage. Smart planning to mitigate the adverse impact of disasters not only saves lives, but saves money--especially over the long run.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy when there were initial damage estimates in the billions of dollars, many Members from both sides of the aisle streamed to the floor to express sympathy to the victims, as well as decry the extent of the damage and large costs. This program represents an opportunity to curb similar costs in the future while also saving lives and protecting property.

It is time to reauthorize the Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Program at a sufficient level to make an impact. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 2251, which names the Federal building and courthouse in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, after Federal Judge Edward Devitt.

Judge Devitt was a former Member of Congress, World War II veteran, and municipal judge. Judge Devitt received a bachelor of science and law degree from the University of North Dakota in 1932 and 1935, respectively. Upon graduation, Judge Devitt went into private practice as a lawyer and was later elected as a municipal judge in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, becoming one of the youngest judges in the Nation at that time. He then went on to serve as an assistant attorney general for the State of Minnesota in 1939.

During World War II, Judge Devitt served as a lieutenant commander to the Seventh Fleet in U.S. Navy Intelligence. After his World War II service, Judge Devitt successfully won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 80th Congress. After serving one term in Congress, Judge Devitt returned to private practice for 1 year before serving as a probate judge in Ramsey County, Minnesota.

Judge Devitt became a U.S. District Judge in the District of Minnesota in 1955 after being nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. After joining the Federal bench, Judge Devitt went on to serve as chief judge from 1959 to 1981.

During his lengthy tenure on the U.S. District Court, he became one of the most respected district court judges in the Nation. His decisions were seldom reversed on appeal. He was known for spearheading efforts to balance the demands of free press access to courts with the needs of courtroom proceedings.

To honor his achievements, we are nominating him for his distinguished service and giving him the Justice Award, which is annually given to a Federal judge who has made significant contributions, Mr. Speaker, to the administration of justice, the advancement of the rule of law, and the improvement of society as a whole.

The designation of the United States courthouse as the Edward J. Devitt Courthouse and Federal Building is yet another fitting tribute, Mr. Speaker, to this judge's outstanding public service career.

I urge my colleagues to approve this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson).

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