Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my hope that the 112th Congress will continue this Congress' record of successful job creation.

We have taken the necessary steps during this, the most productive Congress in years, to pass a long list of important legislation. From middle class tax relief to the small business jobs initiatives, to teacher and health care jobs, to programs helping to keep Americans in their homes, the 111th Congress has succeeded in moving the American people's agenda forward. We have already created millions of jobs and spurred 11 months of private-sector job growth.

But this recession cannot be corrected overnight. Next year, we must all focus on building the next generation of workers, increasing access to quality education, remaining competitive in the global marketplace and reducing the deficit. Together, we must all continue moving our country forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the next Congress.

Thank you, God bless, happy holidays, and happy new year.

Madam Speaker, I join the House of Representatives in recognizing and honoring the 50th anniversary of Ruby Bridges.

In 1960, Ruby Bridges became the first African-American child to attend William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. As she took her first steps to school, Ruby created a path in education for many to follow.

Ruby's resilience in the face of discrimination was an important moment and contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.

In my congressional district, we are honored to have Ruby's historic journey on display at the Indianapolis Children's Museum for all Americans to witness and experience her honorable journey.

With Ruby's help, the Indianapolis Children's Museum has built a unique exhibit called the ``Power of Children,'' which documents her courageous strides for equality in education.

Her bravery at such a young age paved the way for all African- American children to attend newly integrated schools, and has made her a symbol of tolerance and respect for all Americans.

As we continue to work on reforming our education laws, let us remember the great gift that Ruby Bridges gave to all American children--the gift of equal education for all.

Madam Speaker:

Whereas, Joy L. Thornton has faithfully served as Pastor for the Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana since October 3, 1999;

Whereas, Joy L. Thornton dedicated his life to serving others after earning his degree from Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia;

Whereas, Pastor Thornton is celebrating his 11th anniversary of leading the congregation at the Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church as it strives to be an example of faith and respect;

Therefore, I join with the members of the Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church and the Indianapolis community in honoring Pastor Joy Thornton for these past 11 years of exemplary service as a teacher and a leader of his congregation.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1055) to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Madam Speaker, 6 weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Army discharged all Japanese Americans in the Reserve Officers Training Corps and changed their draft status to 4C or ``enemy alien,'' making them ineligible for the draft.

Japanese American military soldiers on the mainland were soon segregated out of their units. And in a matter of months, all people of Japanese ancestry, whether U.S. citizens or not, were ordered by the government to report to permanent relocation centers.

In spite of this treatment at home, thousands of Japanese Americans volunteered to serve in our military abroad--to protect our freedoms from the threat of fascism. In 1942 over 1,400 second-generation Japanese Americans, American troops, known as Nisei, were shipped to Oakland, California, to join up with the 100th Infantry Battalion.

Their excellent training record convinced President Roosevelt to reopen military services to Nisei volunteers. These were incorporated into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The battalion was deployed to Italy in 1943, where its members fought with valor, earning six Distinguished Service Crosses in the first 8 weeks.

The battalion was eventually integrated into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team where it fought with bravery for the remaining 11 months of the war. Together, these units received seven Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier's Medals, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts.

While these brave Japanese Americans fought for their country abroad, another 6,000 Japanese American soldiers became part of the military intelligence services. MIS soldiers conducted highly classified intelligence operations that were vital to U.S. military successes in the Pacific and in post-war Japan.

MIS soldiers intercepted radio transmissions, translated enemy documents, interrogated enemy prisoners of war, volunteered for reconnaissance and covert intelligence missions, and persuaded enemy combatants to surrender. Upon discharge from the Army, MIS soldiers were prohibited from discussing their wartime work; so their accomplishments were not known until many years later.

It is appropriate that Congress recognize the contributions of these brave Japanese Americans with the honor of a Congressional Gold Medal. Earlier this Congress the House passed similar legislation introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff). So today I urge my colleagues to support the Senate version of this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

(Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 846) to award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, in recognition of his contributions to the fight against global poverty.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Senate bill 846, a bill to award Dr. Muhammad Yunus with a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his contributions to the fight against global poverty.

Credited with developing the concept of microlending--the extension of very small loans to very poor people without requiring collateral-- Dr. Yunus has revolutionized global efforts to eliminate extreme poverty. By making small loans available to entrepreneurs that lack access to the resources of traditional banks, Dr. Yunus has given many people the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty.

In 1976, Dr. Yunus made his first successful microloan to 42 women from a small village in Bangladesh who made crafts out of bamboo using $27 out of his own pocket. When that first loan was made, it would have been difficult to imagine that it would launch a revolution in the fight against international poverty.

Based on this methodology, Dr. Yunus founded Grameen Bank, which has loaned over $7 billion to over 7.5 million small borrowers. His work has had a particularly profound impact on the lives of women, who have received over 95 percent of these microcredit loans.

This successful model has been implemented in over 100 countries, in both developing nations and prosperous nations like the United States. In the United States, the Small Business Administration is based on the same model and has made over $380 million in microloans to entrepreneurs since 1992. Internationally, it is estimated that over 155 million people have already benefited from these types of loans. And today, the movement has the potential of reaching many of the 2.6 billion men, women, and children that currently live on less than $2 a day.

Dr. Yunus has received a multitude of recognitions for his work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Currently, the House companion bill offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) has the cosponsorship of over two- thirds of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In light of the strong support we have already shown for this legislation, I urge my colleagues to support Senate bill 846 to award Dr. Yunus the honor of a Congressional Gold Medal.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

(Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 30th Annual La Plaza Fiesta Indianapolis, which is held in Indiana's 7th district. La Plaza's Fiesta serves as a celebration and representation of the Hispanic culture and its contribution to the fabric of this nation.

Since 1980, La Plaza's Fiesta has been the premiere Latino cultural celebration in Indiana. It is an outdoor event held during National Hispanic Heritage Month to educate and share the Latino culture through diverse mediums including art, music, dance, food and cultural activities. La Plaza's Fiesta also celebrates the Hispanic community's contributions in business, education, government and the arts.

Year after year, La Plaza's Fiesta provides an opportunity to enrich the lives of all Americans by providing an opportunity to explore the rich and unique Hispanic heritage and traditions. La Plaza's Fiesta is a great avenue for people from all walks of life to learn that our unique cultures and histories unify--not divide us. We all have life experiences that can help each other and our next generations, regardless of our gender, ethnicity or race.

I want to congratulate La Plaza's Fiesta Indianapolis on their 30th anniversary. In your long history, you have enriched the lives of those who attend this event, the City of Indianapolis and our Latino community. It is an honor to represent a district as culturally diverse as Indianapolis, and our great city is privileged to host this event

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the Latino Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Inc. for their dedicated service to Latino communities in 92 counties across Indiana.

The Latino Coalition, founded as a nonprofit corporation in 2004, has worked to eliminate domestic and sexual violence by focusing on the contributing conditions affecting Latino communities and immigrant populations in Indiana. Today, the Latino Coalition is the only statewide coalition of its kind in the United States that addresses the causes of domestic violence and sexual assault in the Latino community. Due to the tireless efforts of the Latino Coalition, men and women throughout Indiana have been able to extricate themselves from violent relationships, protect their children and improve their self confidence. This organization serves as a model for other groups seeking to reduce the incidence of domestic and sexual violence in the United States.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Latino Coalition for its distinguished efforts in improving the quality of life for victims of domestic violence and their families in the Latino community. This organization serves as an example to community organizations everywhere.

Madam Speaker, one of the most important social programs of our times is nearing its 75th birthday, and I am so pleased to come to the floor today and speak on the vital role of Social Security.

Our economy has indeed seen signs of rebirth. However, millions of Americans are feeling the impact, and programs such as Social Security are playing an important role in ensuring these individuals and citizens are able to have their needs met. It aggravates me daily to hear the other side continue to threaten to cut these or to once again focus on privatization.

I'm committed to working across the aisle on real solutions when problems arise, but the claim that Social Security is paying out more than it is taking in is simply untrue. The trust fund has reserves of $2.6 trillion, which continues to earn interest and will pay out benefits until 2037.

Again, I will continue to work for the American people and ensure this important program is here now and for future generations.

Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the gentleman from Massachusetts to engage in a short colloquy.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to confirm that all insurance companies, specifically mutual insurance holding companies, are included in the definition of ``insurance company'' that appears in the Resolution Authority title of the conference report.

Further, I would like to confirm my understanding that, under title II of the conference report, all insurance companies, specifically including mutual insurance holding companies, remain subject to resolution under the existing State insurance insolvency and liquidation regimes.

Will the chairman confirm my understanding on this point?

I yield to Chairman Frank.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a champion of the small business community to ask Members to support the floor manager's amendment. The floor manager's amendment includes my provision which amends H.R. 5297 to ensure that women and minority- owned businesses are provided with lending opportunities to allow them access to capital.

Specifically, my amendment requires States applying to receive Federal contributions for their capital access programs to submit a report. This report will explain how they plan to provide lending opportunities for small businesses in underserved and low- and moderate-income communities.

According to SBA estimates, about 60 percent of the jobs lost in 2008 through the second quarter of 2009 were lost in small firms. As our Nation continues its recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, we must recognize that our comeback will only go as far as our small businesses allow. This includes tapping into the potential of women and minority-owned small businesses. Several studies have found that these small business owners are more likely to experience loan denials, pay higher interest rates, and are less likely to apply for loans because of fear of rejection.

I understand that because of the economic challenges that we face, banks cannot loan to all existing or aspiring business owners, but I believe we must continue to work with States and banks to increase lending opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses. That is why I introduced this amendment.

I ask that Members join me in taking a step to make sure that all small business owners have access to capital and an opportunity to contribute to this Nation's free market.

Mr. Chairman, thousands of active duty servicemembers are returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq every year, many of these individuals serving continuously, having enlisted right out of high school or college.

For years, they have lived a structured military life on bases and abroad. This structure makes for a well-disciplined and a well-trained military force, but it can also make for a difficult transition back to civilian life. Many returning servicemembers have no experience with saving or budgeting or with credit, taxes, and/or mortgages. As a result, many military families are falling into unmanageable debt, bankruptcy, and foreclosure.

My amendment, which is part of this en bloc amendment, seeks to alleviate these concerns. It simply expands the military's existing preseparation counseling program to include a personal finances component. When this takes effect, military families will reenter civilian life with the information they need to build a stable, long- term financial future.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support our military families by supporting this amendment.

Secondly, Mr. Chairman, throughout both of our Democratic and Republican administrations, the White House has maintained a policy against providing letters of condolences to the families of suicide victims. This is a major issue for my constituency, which I have been working on for months.

I have had a number communications with the White House and with the Department of Defense expressing these concerns. Fortunately, the President was kind enough to send a personal letter of condolence to a local family who was affected by suicide.

I would like to wholeheartedly thank President Obama for this meaningful gesture, and I encourage him to continue on this path and to finally overturn this misguided White House policy.

Our men and women in uniform sacrifice for our country both physically and mentally, but despite the occasional exception, the current policy ignores the sacrifice these men and women make, and it disregards the suffering of their families.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 5015.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my hometown Butler Bulldogs on their first ever run to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game.

While their loss to Duke was painful for fans of the Bulldog faithful, it was a great ride and the entire State of Indiana was ecstatic to be a part of it.

The game itself was nothing short of epic. Fifteen lead changes. Two shots to win it in the final thirteen seconds.

But most importantly, both teams represented the peak of success on AND off the court.

While many athletic programs focus on attracting NBA prospects instead of student athletes, we saw two schools with 90-percent-plus graduation rates playing for the national championship.

This run allowed the Bulldogs to introduce America to something we know as the Butler Way--which means playing with character and toughness, and placing team above self.

In the end, Duke took home the championship, but Butler won the hearts of the American people.

Mark my words--Butler will be back again next year running with the big dogs--winning their way. The Butler Way.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize and commend the Ben Davis High School Lady Giants for winning the 2010 Indiana State High School Athletic Association Girls Basketball Championship.

Ben Davis High School is a 3-year high school in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, located in the 7th Congressional District of Indiana.

Since 1892, the school has provided Indianapolis students with nationally recognized academic and athletic programs. The high school is known for its debate and journalism activities, and it continues to expand on the artistic programs offered to its students.

The Lady Giants are an example of the success and pride that young people can achieve through receiving a well-rounded education.

In the Championship game, the Lady Giants defeated the Merrillville High School Lady Pirates with a final score of 99 to 52. Not only was this the Lady Giants' second straight championship win, but the team also set a new state record for making it their 58th consecutive victory.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in praising these extraordinary young women for their hard work and perseverance, and I encourage them to continue to develop and serve as an example for all students across the United States.

Madam Speaker, now is the time to address our health care crisis. Today, too many families are suffering. Too many cannot afford their medication, lack of access to essential care, or can't get coverage because of a preexisting condition. This bill eliminates these tragic situations.

For those who oppose this bill, you will have to return to your districts and explain why you didn't close the doughnut hole for seniors; expand Medicaid funding; reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare; and increase physician reimbursements. You will have to explain why you voted against investing in community health and prohibiting annual and lifetime limits on plans.

In my district alone in Indianapolis, this bill will extend coverage to nearly 75,000 uninsured residents and will decrease costs for over 200,000 families. And it will provide tax incentives to over 15,500 small businesses to help them provide coverage for their employees.

Passing this bill is the right thing to do.