Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on February 2, 2012, I missed rollcall votes 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 because of district business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 21, ``no'' on rollcall 22, ``yes'' on rollcall 23, ``yes'' on rollcall 24, ``yes'' on rollcall 25, ``yes'' on rollcall 26, ``yes'' on rollcall 27, ``yes'' on rollcall 28, ``yes'' on rollcall 29, and ``no'' on rollcall 30.

personal explanation

Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on February 1, 2012, I missed rollcall votes 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 because of district business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 13, ``yes'' on rollcall 14, ``yes'' on rollcall 15, ``yes'' on rollcall 16, ``yes'' on rollcall 17, ``no'' on rollcall 18, ``yes'' on rollcall 19, and ``yes'' on rollcall 20.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize two organizations in Indianapolis, Crossroads Industrial Services and Bosma Enterprises. Both of these organizations are a part of the AbilityOne Program, which has helped more than 47,000 Americans who are blind or who have significant disabilities gain skills and training that ultimately led to gainful employment.

Together, these organizations employ 189 people in Indianapolis, jobs made possible by the AbilityOne Program. This critical program harnesses the purchasing power of the federal government to buy products and services from participating community-based nonprofit agencies that are dedicated to training and employing individuals with disabilities. It affords Americans with disabilities the opportunity to acquire job skills and training, receive good wages and benefits, and gain greater independence and quality of life.

This segment of the population has suffered from significant unemployment. Federal opportunities through the AbilityOne Program have played an important role in bringing people with disabilities into the workforce. For example, one of Bosmas Enterprises' employees Kevin Mossberger exemplifies how training and the AbilityOne Program can make a real difference in the life of someone. Kevin, who is in his early twenties obtained a degree in Business Management, but because of a genetic eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa was unable to find work in his small, southern Indiana hometown.

His parents suggested he go to Bosma Enterprises' Rehabilitation Center to receive additional training to live independently and to

help find employment. He did so and is now employed at Bosma Enterprises. Kevin says that the instruction he received taught him ``to live on his own and to have a whole new outlook.''

Kevin is not alone, earlier this year I was able to visit Crossroads Industrial Services and see firsthand the impact of the AbilityOne Program on not only its employees, but also the impact it has on our men and women in uniform. Crossroads employees are responsible for producing items that our service members rely on, like ballistic helmet pad sets, combat identification panels, and rocket launcher spare parts. It is with these important contributions that Crossroads, like Bosma, exemplifies the quality of work and determination to enhance the lives of disabled Americans that make the AbilityOne Program so invaluable.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I extend my support to the AbilityOne Program. I also want to commend the dedication and commitment to Jim Vento of Easter Seals Crossroads, Lou Moneymaker of Bosma Industries, and their staffs, for helping individuals who are blind or have a significant disability find employment. The impact of their work and that of each AbilityOne employee has an undeniably positive impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, on December 16, 2011, I missed rollcall vote 941. I was detained because of physical illness and could not make it to the floor. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 941.

Stated against:

Madam Speaker, I missed rollcall votes 818-820 because of a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 818, ``yes'' on rollcall 819 and ``yes'' on rollcall 820.

Mr. Speaker, on November 1, 2011, I missed rollcall votes 816 and 817 because of a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 816 and ``yea'' on rollcall 817.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, October 16, race fans everywhere mourned the tragic loss of Dan Wheldon from injuries suffered at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Though he was only 33 years old, Wheldon was highly-accomplished within the Indy Racing League.

In 2003, Wheldon received the Indy Racing League's prestigious Rookie of the Year Award, which he followed up by winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011.

Dan Wheldon was an incredible ambassador for the sport and the Indianapolis 500, the largest sporting event in the world, which is located in my District at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His loss will be felt on and off the track.

My deepest sympathies go to his wife, Susie, his two sons, Sebastian and Oliver, his family, his friends, and to the legion of fans around the world who are mourning his passing. Dan Wheldon's memory will remain in the hearts of race fans everywhere, and his achievements will never be forgotten at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Mr. Speaker, providing everyone with access to affordable health care continues to be an important issue in this Congress, and it is even more critical to the individuals seeking preventive care and treatment. This October, I would like to ask you, our colleagues and our communities to join me in recognizing the impact breast cancer has had on families across the nation.

Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers among women and tens of thousands die each year in this country as a result of this devastating illness. With proper education, screening and treatment, those deaths can be prevented. As we work to encourage research to find a cure, we must remember to be proactive by supporting breast cancer awareness that can save the lives of our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the wonderful students, teachers and administrators at William Henry Burkhart Elementary School for the outstanding honor of winning the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award from the United States Department of Education.

The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors schools that have taken successful measures toward maintaining and increasing student achievement. Located in my district in Indianapolis, Indiana, William Henry Burkhart Elementary School is a fine example of what can be accomplished when parents, teachers and administrators collaborate on preparing our students for a prosperous future. By emphasizing the importance and real world applications of subjects like math, science and language arts, William Henry Burkhart is enabling a new generation of community leaders.

It is my hope that other schools and educators in Indiana will be inspired by the recognition and success of William Henry Burkhart Elementary School. In addition, I hope everyone at the school can keep up the hard work by inspiring these young students to continue to strive for success in school, career and life.

Mr. Speaker, due to a previous commitment, I unavoidably missed two votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on passage of rollcall 725, and ``nay'' on passage of rollcall 726.

Mr. Speaker, as the House of Representatives continues to discuss how we can improve upon our nation's system of education, I would like to address my colleagues and constituents on the importance of collaboration on this issue. Our nation's young people play a vital role in the future of our country, and we must focus on the best interests of our children.

Over 20,000 students in my state of Indiana attend public charter schools. Parents seeking fresh opportunities for their children are finding successful charter school programs within some communities that educate our children in new and innovative ways. Whereas misguided programs, such as private school vouchers, take money away from improving our schools, investing in well-managed charter schools is one way to improve upon existing public school systems. Through these efforts, public school educators are able to offer experiential learning programs that take creative approaches to teaching.

H.R. 2218, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act, has come to a vote at a critical time in our nation's history. America is at a crossroads with record unemployment, staggering deficits and widespread public discontent. Members of Congress must make the tough decisions that will make preparing all American children for the global economy a priority.

Although I realize the bill fails to address the needs to reform all of our schools, I decided to vote in support of Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act. I support the Charter Schools Program and believe we must continue to invest in school infrastructure and innovative teaching styles. I believe this legislation takes a positive step toward adding civil rights protections for students with disabilities and ensuring higher levels of overall quality within public charter schools.

As the husband of a public school principal, I recognize the need to ensure that America's children are all equally prepared for the future. I pledge to continue working with all of my colleagues to invest in across-the-board improvements in all of our public schools and create incentives that include traditional public schools, students, parents and educators.

Mr. Speaker, it is very easy for some Members of Congress to blindly advocate across-the-board cuts to our investments in people. But I join those today to ask my colleagues to open their eyes to what these cuts really mean. They aren't abstract numbers. For the many people living in poverty, they mean lives irreparably damaged and critical opportunities lost.

My home State, the great Hoosier State of Indiana, suffers from an average unemployment rate of 10 percent. Among veterans, that number is higher. And for wounded vets and others with physical limitations, the numbers are staggeringly higher.

As a result of these economic times, Mr. Speaker, more families live in poverty and rely critically on your and my help. Valuable health care, education, housing, and job-training programs are necessary to provide them with the tools for survival.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, when most of our communities are struggling to recover, we must not turn our backs on the people who are trying to overcome extreme poverty.

I ask my colleagues to remember these vulnerable Americans. They're not burdens. They're our children, our working mothers, our police officers, our firefighters, our neighbors, our vets. They are our fellow Americans.

I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee.

Mr. Speaker, voting is a fundamental right of every American. Yet here we are, decades after the civil rights movement, watching as States across this great Nation pass laws that threaten the ability of citizens to participate in our government. This trend is troubling and one that we must closely monitor. My State, the great Hoosier State of Indiana, was the first to impose a strict law requiring voters to present government-issued identification despite having no evidence of actual voter fraud.

As other States follow suit, we risk broadening the threat to the rights of the poor, the elderly, the young, and minority voters. I do not believe the right to vote should hinge on one's ability to obtain specific identification. As a Nation, we should not allow laws that block the rights of vulnerable groups or discriminate. To do so would be to forfeit the fundamental quality of this right and the purpose behind it.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill would permit church pension plans to invest in collective trusts by correcting a technical error that resulted from the interaction of the securities laws and the Tax Code. In 2003, Mr. Speaker, Congress passed legislation that was intended to accomplish this goal, but the final law did not make the necessary corrections to the Securities Act of 1933. As such, IRS regulations currently prevent collective trusts from allowing investments by church plans.

This bill will make it more cost-efficient for a religious organization to manage its pension plans by allowing the plan to manage its assets through a collective trust mechanism alongside the assets of other pension plans. Church pension plans will no longer have to be managed separately, which creates greater costs to the plan and its participants. The bill, Mr. Speaker, effectively provides another option for church pension plans and allows them to be managed much more like other kinds of pension plans, and will minimize costs.

This bill is supported by the Church Alliance, a coalition of 37 denominational benefit programs that provide pensions and health benefits to more than 1 million clergy across this country, lay workers, and their family members.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Representative Bill Crawford, America's longest-serving African American State legislator. Crawford, who is retiring in 2012, has served Indianapolis' 98th District with distinction since 1972.

During his tenure, he served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, where he left a lasting imprint by crafting budgets that afforded every child an equal opportunity to receive a quality education and every minority and woman-owned business an opportunity to compete.

Crawford has also fought to ensure workers on public contracts reflect the communities where the work is performed. A believer in the power of redemption, Crawford authored Indiana's ``second chance'' law, under which one who pays their debt to society and has been trouble- free for 8 years can have their criminal record sealed to ensure they can find employment.

Crawford has been called both ``the dean'' and ``the conscience'' of Indiana's black caucus, as his metric for gauging the wisdom of any action has been simple: Is it right? Not safe, not popular, but right.