Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Dr. Aubrey O'Neal Dent. Dr. Dent was a beloved husband, father, brother, and friend. With his passing on October 29, we look to Dr. Dent's personal legacy of leadership, service, and the outstanding quality of his life's work.

Born on May 7, 1934 in Roanoke, Virginia, to Aubrey O'Neal and Lillian Gertrude Dent, Dr. Dent was the only boy and the oldest of four children. After graduating from Lucy Addison High School, he went on to Howard University, where he was a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and received his Bachelor of Science degree.

In 1963, Dr. Dent married Carol Hayden Johnson at All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C., and that same year, he joined the Civil Rights Movement, proudly taking part in the March on Washington.

At that time, Dr. Dent served as a Major in the United States Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His experience there drove him to enroll in College of Medicine at Howard University in 1964, where he would graduate four years later with a medical degree. After he graduated, he moved with his wife, Carol, and his daughter, Gina, to San Francisco. It was there, at the UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion, that he completed his residency in psychiatry.

With his residency completed, Dr. Dent established a private practice specializing in general psychiatry that he maintained for 26 years. Working in the Presidio, he continued to serve his country as an active reservist in the United States Army Reserve. Later, he took a position at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. Moreover, Dr. Dent served as Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine at UCSF.

As a past president of both the Golden Gate Medical Association and the John Hale Medical Society, and his affiliation with the Black Psychiatrists of America and the National Medical Association, Dr. Dent was an active member of his professional community. Dr. Dent dedicated himself to mentoring young students and professionals though his active participation in the Beta Upsilon Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, and he enjoyed attending Howard University's Homecoming each year to be reunited with old pledge brothers and friends.

On a personal note, Aubrey was a dear friend and loyal supporter. I will always remember his kindness and his concern for people who deserved a second chance. I will always remember him as a kind, gentle, loving, and brilliant human being who gave so much to others.

Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual, Dr. Aubrey O'Neal Dent. His dedication and efforts have impacted so many lives throughout the state of California. I join all of Aubrey's loved ones in celebrating his incredible life. He will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues, Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congressman George Miller, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman Mike Honda, Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Congressman Eric Swalwell, to recognize the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute (King Institute) located at Stanford University. Led by Stanford University historian Dr. Clayborne Carson, the King Institute is preserving and promoting the legacy and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Before the King Institute was officially founded in 2005, Coretta Scott King approached Dr. Clayborne Carson in 1985 to become the director of the King Papers Project. This Project was established as a long term effort to publish Dr. King's sermons, speeches, correspondence, writings and other materials.

The King Institute is the largest online archive of Dr. King's writings that were previously inaccessible, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Encyclopedia, which was published in 2008.

The King Papers Project plans to release 14 volumes of The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. by 2027. The first volume was published in 1992 and they have subsequently released six more. This Project is one of the few documentary archiving projects in the nation that focuses on the life of an African American leader.

Moreover, the King Institute prepares and provides educators with the Liberation Curriculum, a document-based set of lesson plans and online educational resources emphasizing the modem African American freedom struggle using nonviolence as the means to achieve positive social change and justice in the United States and other movements globally.

Additionally, the King Institute's Global Outreach program introduces Dr. King's work to a variety of countries, including China and India. By holding public events and by emphasizing the visionary ideas of Dr. King on a global

scale, these programs increase awareness of Dr. King's thoughts and life's work.

We are proud that the King Institute resides in such a prestigious academic institution. The Institute is a vital part of our national discourse, inspiring future generations to build upon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy to achieve equality for all.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of the Bay Area, we recognize the King Institute's work to preserve the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We wish the King Institute and Dr. Clayborne Carson the best as they continue to promote Dr. King's beliefs of social justice and racial equality.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for roll call votes 532-533. Had I been present, I would have voted yes on #532, yes on #533.

Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Congressmen Jeffries and Horsford for hosting this important Special Order. I appreciate your leadership in organizing these important discussions.

We stand here tonight, once again, to talk about the ongoing and systematic failure of our justice system. I am deeply disappointed at last week's decision by the grand jury in Ferguson to not indict Officer Darren Wilson. I share the feelings of frustration, anger and disappointment by the recent decision.

And the protests that have spread across the country are a testament to that frustration and anger.

How many more deaths like Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant-- one of my constituents--Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice will be tolerated until America decides that black lives matter? How many more jail beds will be filled by black and brown men and boys until we realize America has a deep and long rooted systematic problem that must to be addressed? The killing of Michael Brown has, once again, confronted us with the systematic issues of racism and injustice that are endemic in our society.

In a recently published op-ed in The Washington Post, Stacy Patton writes: ``Black America has again been reminded that its children are not worthy of being alive--in part because they are not seen as children at all, but as menacing threats to white lives.''

Mr. Speaker, enough is enough.

Disparity and inequality continue at every level of our society--a legacy born in the suffering of the Middle Passage, nurtured through slavery and preserved with Jim Crow. Today, we see this in the form of things like repressive voter ID laws, economic inequality, and mass incarceration.

The African American poverty rate of 27.2 percent is more than two and half times the poverty rate of white Americans. The 10.9 percent unemployment rate among African American is nearly twice the national average.

These statistics paint a clear picture of inequality in America yet we continue to ignore these disparities. This cannot continue.

To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ``Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.''

Mr. Speaker--the only way we can remove the dam is by addressing the deep and long-rooted structures that continue to disproportionately affect people of color.

And Congress is the body in which to do it. We were sent to Washington by our constituents to address the issues facing our nation--let's start working on the structural and racial biases that pervade our institutions.

I applaud the President for calling for a $263 million spending package to reform police departments. But much more work remains to done.

We have a duty to pick up the banner carried by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Medger Evers, to ensure that our children and our children's children can live in a world free of ignorance, discrimination and racism.

That is why we must pass legislation that will require the Department of Justice to support training programs for police departments to reduce racial bias and profiling. We need legislation and funding programs that focuses on diversity hiring and retention of officers in communities that need them the most. We need to pass legislation like H.R. 5478, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act, of which I am a proud cosponsor.

As a nation, we have made progress against racism but we are backsliding.

We are losing the prize that our forefathers and mothers fought, bled and died to obtain and preserve. We must stand together--stronger than ever--to raise our voices, march in the streets, and cast our ballots demanding change. The soul of our nation is at stake.

The American dream of equality, freedom, liberty, justice and life for all can and should be more than just words. It should be a promise to all Americans, regardless of the color of their skin or where they were born.

It should mean that for every mother or father, regardless of their race or socio-economic status, that they can look across the dinner table from their son or daughter and know that they can and will have a better life than their parents. That they will be protected and judged equally under the law. That their son or daughter will be at the table again tomorrow night.

A world where justice for all is fulfilled.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and for really trying at least to allow many of us with different points of view to have some input into this rule and this bill. Unfortunately, that did not happen at the Rules Committee, so of course, I rise in strong opposition to this rule to provide consideration for the National Defense Authorization Act.

While I certainly support several elements of this bill, I have grave concerns about the more than $63 billion in funding for the overseas contingency

operations fund. The OCO account remains a slush fund that allows the Pentagon to circumvent the Budget Control Act, and we still haven't received an audit from the Pentagon.

Every agency has to go through an audit process. What happened at the Pentagon--we still have not received the audit for a lot of reasons that they state, but in a bipartisan way, many of us are urging the Defense Department to come up and show us the numbers, show us what their audit will provide, so the American people know what their taxpayer dollars are paying for.

I also have grave concerns about authorizing any funding for the current war in Iraq and Syria--and, yes, that is a war that is taking place. Congress has not yet debated or authorized this new war. We see more and more troops being sent to the region; and, of course, unintended consequences could put these troops in harm's way and lead to combat operations. I don't believe the American people want to see our brave young men and women in that role.

That is why many of us have called and will call on Congress to live up to its constitutional responsibility and have a full debate on any authorization for any use of military force. We are in a war, Mr. Speaker, and each and every day we see more and more danger. We see more and more warfare take place. Enough is enough.

Mr. Speaker, committing the United States to yet another long-term war in the Middle East, it should never be an afterthought. What we continue to do is authorize, in a variety of bills, the continuation of a war that has not been authorized nor declared.

I know that the American people worry about the world and what is taking place. They know how dangerous the world is. We know that also, and we know that the Pentagon deserves a budget and authorizations that ensure our national security, but we also know that we have a constitutional responsibility to debate the use of force, and in fact, if we believe that that is the course of action that our country should take, then let's have an up-or-down vote.

This really should be the moment that we are debating that because, once we leave here, come January, we don't know what will happen. We don't know how far this war will have expanded, and it will continue to be an unauthorized war.

Congress and the American people deserve to understand the costs and consequences to our national security and to our domestic priorities in fighting this war.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his leadership and for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3979, the National Defense Authorization Act. Congress is considering extending the authority to train and equip Syrian rebels, despite the fact that we have not yet had a debate and a vote on an authorization for use of military force against ISIS; in other words, we are digging ourselves into an unauthorized war.

Congress is, once again, rushing into another war and allowing the executive to rely on the blank check of 2001. That is why, quite frankly, I voted against the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which was for perpetual war. I have consistently called for its repeal and for the repeal of the 2002 AUMF against Iraq.

All of us agree that ISIS is a global threat and must be addressed, but that does not mean that we replace one blank check with another. The American people deserve to know the costs and consequences of engaging in another long-term war in the Middle East.

That is why I have called and will continue to call for Congress to live up to its constitutional responsibility and have a full debate on an authorization for any use of military force in Iraq or Syria.

The American people want us to do our job. Unfortunately, once again, Congress is getting us off of the hook. This bill expands our involvement in an unauthorized war.

I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 5759, the so-called Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014.

Let me start by saying that I applaud our President for taking bold action to keep families together.

He acted where this Congress has failed to act.

A bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill was passed in the Senate more than 500 days ago. Yet Republican leadership in the House failed to bring the bill up for a vote in the House.

And so as a result, our President took responsibility to stop the suffering of millions of mixed-status families who have lived for years in fear and uncertainty. He did so with full legal authority, just as every President--Democrat and Republican--has done since Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Of course, the Executive Order is not perfect, and does not relieve uncertainty for every deserving family.

But I am pleased that some 5 million people will be able to step out of the shadows, contribute to our economy, and pursue the American dream. This Congress still needs to pass a comprehensive bill to truly fix our broken immigration system.

Instead of voting on this misguided and cruel bill, we should be having a vote on the comprehensive plan that we know would pass this House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance of Mayor Marion Barry, and my heart and prayers go out to his family, friends, and to the entire city of Washington, D.C.

Mayor Barry was truly Washington's ``Mayor for Life.'' He devoted his life to social justice and equality and bettering the lives of Washington D.C.'s residents.

I had the honor of knowing and working with Mayor Barry for many years, as a Member of Congress and as a congressional staffer for Congressman Ron Dellums.

Mayor Barry was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi and would go on to be the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

As SNCC Chairman, he played a critical role in organizing the grassroots efforts that would make the Civil Rights Movement a success.

Later, as a Councilman and Mayor of Washington, D.C., he continued to be a tireless champion for equality and justice.

Mayor Barry will be greatly missed by all and his absence will be felt by many here in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked World AIDS Day and more than 30 years since the first discovery of AIDS in the United States.

As the cofounder of the HIV/AIDS caucus, I am proud to say that we have made great strides in combating the AIDS epidemic here in our own country and throughout the world. Contracting HIV is no longer the death sentence that it once was, but much more remains to be done.

A recent report by UNAIDS found that we have 5 years to break the epidemic for good or risk it rebounding out of control. We cannot allow the gains we have made in fighting for an AIDS-free generation to be lost, and we can eradicate AIDS if we devote proper resources to the fight both here and abroad.

We must reduce the stigma surrounding the disease by strengthening educational and outreach activities to help prevent millions of new HIV cases worldwide. We must also provide the science-based comprehensive sex education that has proven to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and we must repeal laws that promote discrimination and hate.

Mr. Speaker, now is the time to take bold action to create a world that is free from HIV and AIDS. I urge my colleagues to join me in working to achieve an AIDS-free generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues, Congressman Mike Honda and Congressman Eric Swalwell, to honor the extraordinary career of Mr. Wright L. Lassiter III. Mr. Lassiter is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Alameda Health System, where he has served the residents of Alameda County with distinction. In December, Mr. Lassiter begin work as President of the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan.

Mr. Lassiter graduated from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with honors, as well as minors in Biology and Philosophy. He went on to receive his Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration from Indiana University, where he graduated at the top of his class.

Prior to serving as CEO of Alameda Health System, Mr. Lassiter held numerous executive positions. He served as senior vice president of operations for JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas, where he oversaw operations and expanded ambulatory and specialty care services. He also served in multiple executive positions in the Methodist Health System in Dallas, Texas, overseeing support and clinical services.

During his tenure at Alameda Health System, Mr. Lassiter has created a culture of excellence and led the expansion and growth of the organization. His guidance, leadership, and accomplishments have garnered national acclaim. Some of those accomplishments include seven years of positive financial performance with operating margins as high as 19%; a $70 million reduction of debt; the expansion of the Highland campus with a new Acute Tower and state of the art Care Pavilion; the addition of two new hospitals to the network--San Leandro Hospital and Alameda Hospital; and designation by the Joint Commission as a top performer with an increase in patient engagement from the 1st percentile to the 80th percentile.

Mr. Lassiter is also an enthusiastic community leader. He has held numerous important volunteer leadership positions in each of the communities in which he has lived and worked. These include serving as the Board Chairman for the YMCA of the East Bay, the Alameda Alliance for Health, and the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. He also serves on the Boards of BETA Healthcare Group, the California Hospital Association, the Safety Net Institute, the Bay Area Urban Network, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the Board of Regents of his alma mater, LeMoyne College. He is a member of both the American College of Health Care Executives and the National Association of Health Service Executives.

On behalf of the residents of California's 13th, 15th, and 17th Congressional Districts, Mr. Wright L. Lassiter III, I salute you. I thank you for a lifetime of service and congratulate you on your many achievements. I wish you continued success as you go on to lead the Henry Ford Health System and serve the residents of Michigan.

Thank you very much.

First, let me thank the gentleman from New York, Congressman Jeffries, for this very important moment and theme tonight of ``Where do we go from here?'' But also for your leadership in conducting these Special Orders to make sure that the American people really know the truth about what is taking place here in Washington, D.C., and also to hear the voice of conscience from the Congressional Black Caucus, such as we just heard from our great warrior, Congressman John Lewis.

Also, I want to thank Congressman Horsford for being part of this for the last couple of years in terms of his tremendous leadership.

Mr. Speaker, the other night, I had an event with young people in my district. It is a lecture series that is sponsored by the Martin Luther King Freedom Center. Congressman Lewis knows these young people. They travel with me every year to Selma-Montgomery-Birmingham. We started the center in the nineties, and these young people's mission in life is to make sure that the new generation of leaders understands, one, that violence is not an option and, secondly, that we all are in this together and that we should be united as a country and fight for the American Dream for all.

The topic of the lecture series of two nights ago was ``Where do we go from here?'' We had White students in the audience. We had African American, Latino, and Asian Pacific American young people, middle-aged people, and old people. It was held at my alma mater, at Mills College. It was really amazing. We had the cofounder of the United Farm Workers, Dolores Huerta, and former State Senator Art Torres. We talked about ``where do we go from here?'' as a community in Oakland and also throughout the country. What we need to do here is, really, to get back to work for the American people, and that is what we heard over and over and over at our lecture series.

Unfortunately, ever since the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, we see governing through extortion and brinksmanship, including a government shutdown that cost the taxpayers $24 billion. I hope that is not where we go from here. Now we are looking at--or at least some are saying that they are eyeing--another shutdown and are refusing to act on immigration while planning another series of votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They have even gone so far as to threaten impeachment because our President has continued to lead where they have failed.

Where do we go from here, Congressman Jeffries? Let's hope not there. I hope we go where the young people in my community talked about the other night.

The threats about a government shutdown over immigration reform are outrageous. My district is a very diverse and dynamic district. That is what makes it, really, a great place for my constituents to live, work, do business, and raise a family. Yet we have many, many pockets of poverty. It is home to a vibrant immigrant community. Families from all over the world, many of them--and they told me again the other night-- are feeling the pain each and every day of our broken immigration system. It has been more than 500 days since the Senate passed bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform.

We need to have an up or down vote. Families deserve that. Time is really running out. We have 3 weeks of session left, so we need to get something done. That is where we need to go from here. If Congress fails to act on immigration reform, our President can--and he should-- take action to keep families from being torn apart. Just like every President since Dwight D. Eisenhower, our President should act, but as the President has said, immigration reform should come from Congress. It should come from us. That is what my community said in terms of moving forward. Let's get it done in the next couple of weeks. We have a bipartisan bill. Let's come together and have a vote. Our colleagues across the aisle need to put our economy ahead of partisanship. That means stopping their repeated attempts at eliminating access to affordable, quality health care for millions of Americans.

This past weekend marked the beginning of the second year of open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act. Repealing the Affordable Care Act and its protections for families would hurt all of our constituents. It would make health care less affordable and less accessible; yet every time Republicans vote to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, they make it perfectly clear that they believe charging women more for being a woman is okay, denying victims of domestic violence coverage is okay, and allowing insurance companies to increase premiums to increase profits is also okay. That is not what the American people need.

Where do we go from here? Let's not go there. Millions have been covered, and let's move forward to make sure our country has universal accessible affordable health care for all. It is a basic human right, so we need to get back to doing the work of the American people, the work of forming a more perfect Union.

Finally, I just want to point out an article. There was a recent editorial in The New York Times from Nicholas Kristof in which he discusses the historical and structural issues that continue to perpetuate racial disparities between Blacks and Whites today, and I would like to submit that article for the Record, Mr. Speaker.

[From Op-Ed Columnist, Nov. 15, 2014]

When Whites Just Don't Get It, Part 4

(By Nicholas Kristof)

When I write about racial inequality in America, one common

response from whites is eye-rolling and an emphatic: It's

time to move on.

``As whites, are we doomed to an eternity of apology?''

Neil tweeted at me. ``When does individual responsibility

kick in?''

Terry asked on my Facebook page: ``Why are we still being

held to actions that took place long ago?''

``How long am I supposed to feel guilty about being white?

I bust my hump at work and refrain from living a thug life,''

Bradley chimed in. ``America is about personal

responsibility. . . . And really, get past the slavery

issue.''

This is the fourth installment in a series of columns I've

written this year, ``When Whites Just Don't Get It,'' and

plenty of white readers have responded with anger and

frustration at what they see as the ``blame game'' on race.

They acknowledge a horrific history of racial discrimination

but also say that we should look forward, not backward. The

Supreme Court seems to share this view as it dismantles

civil-rights-era rulings on voting rights.

As Dina puts it: ``I am tired of the race conversation. It

has exasperated me. Just stop. In so many industries, the

racial ceiling has been shattered. Our president is black.

From that moment on, there were no more excuses.''

If only it were so simple!

Of course, personal responsibility is an issue. Orlando

Patterson, the eminent black sociologist, notes in a

forthcoming book that 92 percent of black youths agree that

it is a ``big problem'' that black males are ``not taking

education seriously enough.'' And 88 percent agree that it's

a big problem that they are ``not being responsible

fathers.'' That's why President Obama started ``My Brother's

Keeper,'' to cultivate more prudent behavior among men and

boys of color.

But we in white society should be equally ready to shoulder

responsibility. In past articles in this series, I've looked

at black/white economic inequality that is greater in America

today than it was in apartheid South Africa, at ongoing

discrimination against African-Americans in the labor market

and at

systematic bias in law enforcement. But these conversations

run into a wall: the presumption on the part of so many well-

meaning white Americans that racism is a historical artifact.

They don't appreciate the overwhelming evidence that

centuries of racial subjugation still shape inequity in the

21st century.

Indeed, a wave of research over the last 20 years has

documented the lingering effects of slavery in the United

States and South America alike. For example, counties in

America that had a higher proportion of slaves in 1860 are

still more unequal today, according to a scholarly paper

published in 2010. The authors called this a ``persistent

effect of slavery.''

One reason seems to be that areas with slave labor were

ruled for the benefit of elite plantation owners. Public

schools, libraries and legal institutions lagged, holding

back working-class whites as well as blacks.

Whites often don't realize that slavery didn't truly end

until long after the Civil War. Douglas Blackmon won a

Pulitzer Prize for his devastating history, ``Slavery by

Another Name,'' that recounted how U.S. Steel and other

American corporations used black slave labor well into the

20th century, through ``convict leasing.'' Blacks would be

arrested for made-up offenses such as ``vagrancy'' and then

would be leased to companies as slave laborers.

Job and housing discrimination also systematically

prevented blacks from accumulating wealth. The Federal

Housing Administration and other initiatives greatly expanded

home ownership and the middle class but deliberately excluded

blacks.

That's one reason why black families have, on average, only

about 6 percent as much wealth as white households, why only

44 percent of black families own a home compared with 73

percent for white households.

The inequality continues, particularly in education. De

jure segregated schools have been replaced in some areas by

de facto segregation.

Those of us who are white have a remarkable capacity for

delusions. A majority of whites have said in opinion polls

that blacks earn as much as whites and are as healthy as

whites. In fact, black median household income is $34,598,

compared with $58,270 for non-Hispanic whites, according to

census data. Black life expectancy is four years shorter than

that of whites.

Granted, race is just one thread in a tapestry. The

daughters of President and Michelle Obama shouldn't enjoy

affirmative action preference (as their dad has

acknowledged), while disadvantaged white kids should.

Yet one element of white privilege today is obliviousness

to privilege, including a blithe disregard of the way past

subjugation shapes present disadvantage.

I've been on a book tour lately. By coincidence, so has one

of my Times Op-Ed columnist colleagues, Charles Blow, who is

African-American and the author of a powerful memoir, ``Fire

Shut Up in My Bones.'' I grew up in a solid middle-class

household; Charles was primarily raised by a single mom who

initially worked plucking poultry in a factory, and also, for

a while, by a grandma in a house with no plumbing.

That Charles has become a New York Times columnist does not

mean that blacks and whites today have equal access to

opportunity, just that some talented and driven blacks manage

to overcome the long odds against them. Make no mistake:

Charles had to climb a higher mountain than I did.

We all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. We're in a

relay race, relying on the financial and human capital of our

parents and grandparents. Blacks were shackled for the early

part of that relay race, and although many of the fetters

have come off, whites have developed a huge lead. Do we

ignore this long head start--a facet of white privilege--and

pretend that the competition is now fair?

Of course not. If we whites are ahead in the relay race of

life, shouldn't we acknowledge that we got this lead in part

by generations of oppression? Aren't we big enough to make

amends by trying to spread opportunity, by providing

disadvantaged black kids an education as good as the one

afforded privileged white kids?

Can't we at least acknowledge that in the case of race,

William Faulkner was right: ``The past is never dead. It's

not even past.''

Kristof states that he has ``looked at Black- White economic inequality that is greater in America today than it was in apartheid South Africa, at ongoing discrimination against African Americans in the labor market, and at systematic bias in law enforcement.''

So young people of color, especially young men, have been left behind in the economic recovery. It is leaving them behind, and far too often, they are marginalized and forgotten. The poverty rate for African Americans is 27.2 percent, more than two-and-a-half times the rate of poverty of White Americans. Nobody in our country should have to live below the poverty line. We are the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world.

The African American unemployment rate is 10.9 percent, nearly twice the national average. Young men of color are stopped and frisked at will. They are more incarcerated than any other group. The jobs that are available don't pay enough to get by while our safety net and nutrition programs continue to be hacked and slashed by House Republicans.

Beyond the lack of opportunity, police misconduct and the criminal justice system are constant reminders of the tragic inequality which is still persistent in the daily life of Black America.

Where do we go from here? Let's move forward, but we have got to remember that the deaths of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner and Oscar Grant--one of my constituents--their deaths are tragic examples of the senseless murder of young Black men.

As the mother of two Black men and two Black grandsons, I have to have many uncomfortable conversations with them, how to walk, how to talk, how to interact with the police.

This is not just my reality, but the reality of millions of other Black mothers and grandmothers and fathers and grandfathers. This is something no parent should have to do. No one should be afraid of the police who are sworn to protect and serve them. These are issues that Members of Congress must take leadership in addressing. This is where we must go from here.

Finally, let me just say the work of building a more perfect Union is not just rhetorical. As Members of Congress, we really do have a unique opportunity to do just that.

To quote our drum major for justice--who Congressman Lewis had the privilege and honor to work with--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he said, ``A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.'' We have the privilege tonight to remind this body that we are the molder of consensus.

Thank you again, Congressman Jeffries, for the opportunity to speak with you this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall vote 516. Had I been present, I would have voted ''yes'' on No. 516.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall votes 512-515 due to a family emergency.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on #512, ``no'' on #513, ``yes'' on #514, and ``no'' on #515.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Unity Council's 50th Anniversary. For five decades, the Unity Council has continued to enrich our community's quality of life by helping families build wealth and assets through sustainable economic, social and neighborhood development programs.

In 1964, what started as a political action group soon evolved into a social services assistance program to aid Latinos in Oakland, California's Fruitvale district. In their new capacity, the Unity Council created Oakland's first Spanish-speaking employment office and worked with Oakland city officials to create the first Latino library, now known as the Cesar E. Chavez Branch Public Library. By 1967, the organization had become incorporated as a nonprofit organization and service agency. In the years that followed, the Unity Council became a powerful catalyst for pervasive social change.

During the 1970s, the Unity Council created a business advisory committee composed of Clorox, Pacific Bell, PG&E, Kaiser Permanente and Safeway; formed the Fruitvale Community Development District; initiated a small Latino business loan and assistance center; and built Las Casitas, the first ever Latino-built housing development in Oakland.

The 1980s brought challenging times for the Unity Council, which nearly resulted in the organization's demise. Fortunately, broad-based community support, strategic business partnerships, and a drastic reorganization allowed the Unity Council to rebuild its reputation and once again establish itself as the voice of the Fruitvale district and of Latinos in Oakland.

Starting in the early 1990s, the Unity Council expanded its Head Start Program from 18 children to 117, and offered early childhood development services, health and nutrition education, advocacy, and social services. Currently, the Head Start Program and the more recent addition, Early Head Start Program, serve a total of 608 low-income families.

In 1995, the Unity Council began its Facade Improvement Program, designed to provide business and property owners matching grants of up to $10,000 to fund rehabilitation projects. By 2005, the Facade Improvement Program had completed 120 projects and leveraged $220,000 of grant dollars into millions of dollars in contributions from stakeholders. That same year, the Unity Council received funding to launch the Fruitvale Public Market, a 7,000 square foot business incubator space designed to promote the local economy and create high quality and sustainable jobs for neighborhood residents. As a result, the Fruitvale commercial district went from 30-40 percent vacancy to less than 1 percent vacancy, and became the second largest revenue producing commercial area in the city of Oakland.

One of the Unity Council's biggest milestones is the Fruitvale Transit Village. The nationally recognized Fruitvale Transit Village opened in 2003 with 47 housing units as well as offices for several major community organizations. Earlier this year, the Unity Council received state funding that will allow the addition of 275 affordable and market-rate rental units to the Fruitvale area. After 50 years, the Unity Council remains the most relevant voice for the Latino community in the East Bay.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional District, I thank the Unity Council for the countless contributions and never-ending commitment to our communities. I wish the Unity Council another fifty years of continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Peralta Community College District's 50th Anniversary. Encompassing Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College and Merritt College, the Peralta Colleges have provided quality higher education to over one million students since its founding.

Established on July 1, 1964, Peralta Community College District was formed after the residents of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Piedmont voted to create a separate and single community college district. The district was named Peralta after Sergeant Luis Maria Peralta, since all the cities are located on the original Spanish land grant.

At that time, Laney and Merritt Colleges were the only campuses that made up the new college district. A year later, voters approved a $47 million bond measure to build new campuses across the northern Alameda county area, with the College of Alameda established in 1968 and Berkeley City College in 1974.

While there are no Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in California, Merritt College is considered an accredited minority-serving institution, allowing the college access to HBCU funding.

The colleges within Peralta Community College District offer innovative programs such as nursing, automotive technology, office administration, mechanics, bio manufacturing, bookkeeping, carpentry, food service and restaurant management. The colleges often align with businesses, industry and government to tailor training programs to meet economic and staffing needs. This in turn helps build a strong workforce and support our vibrant community and economy.

Community colleges provide opportunities for millions of students and adults to continue their education in a flexible and affordable environment. Students attend community colleges for a range of reasons: as a first step to earning a bachelor's degree, an opportunity to gain workforce training, or simply a chance to learn or improve a skill.

I commend the Peralta Community College District for providing our community with quality and affordable education. In addition to serving our region's students, the Peralta Community College District also attracts and engages individuals from all over the world. Through its Office of International Affairs and District Education, it has been at the forefront of promoting cultural diversity, pluralism and mutual understanding, benefitting all Bay Area residents and visitors.

During the 1980's, my mentor and friend, a great woman warrior and member of the Berkeley City Council, Maudelle Shirek, and I attended night classes at then Vista, now Berkeley City College. We received a certificate in International Business and I will always remember this as a rigorous and rich educational experience. I am very proud of this certificate and encourage my constituents to attend Peralta Colleges because of the excellent programs and curriculum they offer.

On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional District, I extend my congratulations on this important milestone and thank all of the people who have contributed to the success of the Peralta Community College District throughout the years. I wish the Peralta Colleges continued success in the years to come.