Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, December 1 is World AIDS Day, although every day is World AIDS Day for the millions battling this epidemic on the front lines. It's an important time, though, to reflect upon our loved ones lost, to celebrate the progress we are making, and to recommit ourselves to achieving an AIDS-free generation for all.

As this Congress comes to an end and a new one begins in January, we have been given the extraordinary opportunity to leave an astonishing legacy. Our understanding of the spread of HIV has changed dramatically in recent years. Armed with the National AIDS Strategy, the Affordable Care Act, and the ongoing progress of PEPFAR and the Global Fund, we are closer than ever to stamping HIV and AIDS off the face of the Earth.

But while we have made tremendous progress, we must not lose sight of the long road ahead. In my own district, for example, in Alameda County, we declared a state of emergency in 1998. My phenomenal local activists and providers have done a great job with minimal resources to end the state of emergency; but like all communities, we need more resources and not budget cuts. We have the tools we need. We just need the political will and investments to make the end of AIDS the legacy of our generation.

Mr. Speaker, as we gather back in Washington for the first time since the election, it is important that we work to resolve the questions that cannot wait until the new 113th Congress is sworn in. President Obama will soon be meeting with his military advisors and considering various plans in Afghanistan. My Republican colleague Walter Jones and I will be sending a letter to the President renewing our call for an accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan.

I encourage all Members to join us on this letter. Keeping our troops in Afghanistan through 2014 will not bring about a meaningful difference on the ground.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we catch up with the American people who are calling for an accelerated end to the war in Afghanistan.

Let's bring our troops home, end the war in Afghanistan, and invest in jobs and nation-building here at home.

Mr. Speaker, as we gather here for the first time since the election, it's important that we continue to talk about and work to resolve the questions that cannot wait until the 113th Congress. President Obama will soon be meeting with his military advisers and considering various plans for Afghanistan.

My Republican colleague, Congressman Walter Jones, and I will be sending a letter to the President renewing our call for an accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan. I encourage all Members to join us on this letter. Keeping our troops in Afghanistan through 2014 will not bring about a meaningful difference on the ground.

Mr. Speaker, it is really time that we catch up with the American people, who are calling for an accelerated end to the war in Afghanistan. Let's bring our troops home, end the war in Afghanistan, and invest in jobs and nation building here.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of Ms. Gilda Gonzales and the tremendous accomplishments of the Spanish Speaking Unity Council under her leadership. For nearly five decades, the Unity Council has continued to enrich families' quality of life by helping them build wealth and assets through comprehensive programs of sustainable economic, social and neighborhood development. We honor the Unity Council along with its fearless leader, Mrs. Gilda Gonzales, who is stepping down from her duties as Chief Executive Officer.

This evening, supporters and friends gather in the Fruitvale District of Oakland to bid farewell to Ms. Gonzales and to congratulate the Unity Council for all of its many accomplishments. In 1964, what started as a political action group soon evolved into a social services assistance program to aid Latinos in the Fruitvale district. By 1967, the organization had become incorporated as a nonprofit organization and service agency. And, in the years that followed, the Unity Council became a powerful catalyst for pervasive social change.

In addition to securing resources for the Fruitvale district, the Unity Council gained respectability and credibility within the Latino community, as well as among local, state and federal officials and private funding sources. As a result of the Unity Council's trailblazing role in the Fruitvale area, public and private social services agencies began to locate offices there for the first time. Furthermore, Unity Council representatives moved onto a variety of advisory groups in the East Bay, influencing policy, funding and resource allocation decisions while providing an empowering voice for Oakland's Latino community.

Ms. Gonzales' prolific career includes three decades of inspired leadership and advocacy. Raised in a small town in California's Central Valley, Gilda Gonzales is the youngest of five children. From an early age, Ms. Gonzales knew she wanted to go to college and enter public service. Her first government job was an internship in the office of Congressman Ron Dellums. Then, when 500 people applied for one-year fellowships at the California State Assembly, she was one of 12 selected. After working for several state assembly members, she left Sacramento in 1991 to assume the position of policy analyst with former Oakland Mayor Harris' office.

During her 14-year tenure in City Hall, Ms. Gonzales served in several capacities, including budget analyst, Assistant to the Finance Agency Director, and dual Chief of Staff for then-City Manager Robert Bobb and Mayor Jerry Brown. In 2001, she was named the City of Oakland's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In this capacity, she was the City of Oakland's state legislative lobbyist and managed the City's contracted federal lobbyists. Throughout Ms. Gonzales' successful government career, where she was one of the highest-level Latinos working in City Hall, she

maintained strong personal connections with community-based organizations in Fruitvale.

In December of 2004, when Ms. Gonzales became the Chief Executive Officer of the Unity Council, she brought to the position invaluable experience, an incredible vision, a penchant for creativity and an expertise in managing finances. As a result of her leadership, the Unity Council was able to overcome and stabilize a dire financial situation. Ms. Gonzales' quick thinking and strategic planning helped to create the solid foundation that the Unity Council enjoys today.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, Ms. Gilda Gonzales, I salute you. I am proud to call you a colleague, a constituent, and, most importantly, my friend. Thank you for your countless contributions and your never-ending commitment to our communities. I congratulate you on your many achievements, and I wish you and your loved ones all the best in this next chapter of life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my East Bay colleagues, Representatives George Miller, John Garamendi, Jerry McNerney, and Pete Stark on the occasion of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition's 40th anniversary celebration. In its 40 years of bicycle advocacy, the East Bay Bicycle Coalition has garnered an impressive list of victories and a vast network of supporters working toward the shared goal of promoting cycling as a sustainable, healthy, and safe form of transport in the San Francisco Bay Area.

On March 20, 1972, a group of cyclists created the East Bay Bicycle Coalition as a non-profit bicycle advocacy group with the simple mission of promoting bicycling for people of all ages and abilities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties of California. One of the organization's first battles was for bicycle access on the then-new San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. By 1975, the coalition had succeeded in that goal and paved the way for BART's continued reputation as one of the most bike-friendly transit agencies in the country.

During the past 40 years, the East Bay Bicycle Coalition has also worked to expand and establish bikeways on Bay Area bridges, stripe hundreds of miles of bike lanes in East Bay cities, and complete 244 miles of the San Francisco Bay Trail. The organization's members have worked tirelessly for access to urban bicycle parking, inclusion of bicycle pathways in local and regional transit plans, and to establish an annual ``Bike-to-Work Day'' throughout the East Bay.

With growing awareness that an ever-increasing number of individual automobile commuters is neither sustainable nor responsible, there has been a national movement towards alternative forms of transportation. Thanks in great part to the work of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, our East Bay Congressional districts are leading the way in this trend, with four cities certified ``bike-friendly'' by the League of American Bicyclists--Oakland, Emeryville, Brentwood and Alameda. Berkeley, in my district, ranks fourth in the nation amongst cities with the highest number of people bicycling.

We are pleased to see the role that federal investment has played in promoting and sustaining this transportation shift, beginning in 1991 with the walking and biking provisions of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act. My colleagues and I look forward to continuing to work with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and their allies around the country as we prepare in the coming years to develop a long-term Federal Transportation Bill that works for everyone, including those who find the bicycle to be a clean, healthy, and enjoyable form of transportation.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 9th, 7th, 10th, 11th, and 13th districts, we pay tribute to the East Bay Bicycle Coalition in recognition of their 40th anniversary. We ask our colleagues to join with us in congratulating the East Bay Bicycle Coalition for its continued leadership and commitment to making the East Bay a wonderful place to ride, and we wish them success in the coming years.

As the founder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to continue talking about the ongoing crisis of poverty in our country.

Yesterday, unfortunately, with the supplemental poverty report, we learned that poverty continues to impact nearly 50 million Americans, including 16 million children all across our country and in every congressional district. My home State of California tops the list, followed by our Nation's capital--the District of Columbia--Arizona, Florida, and Georgia.

On this election day, low-income Americans, the working poor, middle- income Americans--every American--spoke loudly and clearly. They voted for strengthening the middle class and for putting people back to work, and they voted for Congress to get back to doing the work of the American people: to strengthen our economy for all Americans and to create economic opportunities that will lift millions of families out of poverty and into the middle class. Most importantly, the American people voted to reject job-killing cuts and a tax on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

What they don't want is for our country to be rushed into urgent budget decisions by the false threat of a so-called ``fiscal cliff.'' Mr. Speaker, I don't buy it, and the American people don't believe it either.

This economic and political gridlock is just another political cliff created by the hostage-taking obstructionism of the Tea Party- controlled Congress. The real cliff that anyone is facing today is a human cliff, and far too many American families are standing on the edge as I speak. If we don't strengthen our economy for all Americans, millions will be cut off from the only lifeline keeping them from falling off that human cliff and into poverty--unemployment compensation. Far too many people will be cut off from vital programs like employment insurance, the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit if this Congress fails to act.

It is long past time to come together, to work to find a balanced approach and, as Chairman Cleaver just said, to get past the partisan obstructionism that has kept us from moving our economy and our country forward. We have got to stop this. Just 10 years ago, in the year 2000, our Nation had a balanced budget, projected surpluses, and a robust economy. The passage of a serious tax cut rapidly ended those surpluses and began to, quite frankly, explode the debt. The Bush-era tax cuts have already cost over $2.2 trillion in Federal revenue since they were enacted, and we cannot afford to allow them to be made permanent. Let's not forget, Mr. Speaker, that this Congress has already voted to cut $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending enacted through the 2011 Budget Control Act.

Low-income Americans are already hurting from multiple rounds of cuts to programs and benefits that they rely on. Our middle class and our working poor have already done their part, and we cannot continue to attempt to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans--our poor, our seniors, our children, and our disabled.

So I hope all Members of Congress will follow the President's lead and support his call for ending the Bush tax cuts above $250,000, ending the billions in subsidies for Big Oil, and closing the countless loopholes that allow huge corporations and the super rich to avoid paying what they owe. In addition, we can find billions in additional savings by making smart and targeted cuts to our defense budgets. Our military leaders have already outlined cuts that will not put at risk our brave men and women in harm's way or weaken the national security of our Nation. We know that there are billions in waste, fraud, and abuse in the defense budgets that can be saved if we can just account for the hundreds of billions in spending by ensuring the Pentagon can pass an audit.

Mr. Speaker, we face many challenges, but we must not allow our political crisis to create an economic crisis for millions of Americans who are struggling. Now is not the time to turn our backs on struggling families just to preserve tax giveaways to millionaires and billionaires. We must come together to wage a war on poverty and end the war on the poor.

Finally, as 350 economists have said, we need jobs first. With recovery, deficit reduction will come by its own accord thanks to increased revenues in an improving economy. They went on to say that public outlay for jobs and recovery come first, growth is restored, and revenues follow. Budget cuts only lead to a deeper slump.

Census: Fuller Poverty Picture Finds 49.7M Are Poor, Factoring in

Medical and Work Expenses

(By Associated Press, November 14, 2012)

Washington--The ranks of America's poor edged up last year

to a high of 49.7 million, based on a new census measure that

takes into account medical costs and work-related expenses.

The numbers released Wednesday by the Census Bureau are

part of a newly developed supplemental poverty measure.

Devised a year ago, this measure provides a fuller picture of

poverty that the government believes can be used to assess

safety-net programs by factoring in living expenses and

taxpayer-provided benefits that the official formula leaves

out.

Based on the revised formula, the number of poor people

exceeded the 49 million, or 16 percent of the population, who

were living below the poverty line in 2010. That came as more

people in the slowly improving economy picked up low-wage

jobs last year but still struggled to pay living expenses.

The revised poverty rate of 16.1 percent also is higher than

the record 46.2 million, or 15 percent, that the government's

official estimate reported in September.

Due to medical expenses, higher living costs and limited

immigrant access to government programs, people 65 or older,

Hispanics and urbanites were more likely to be struggling

economically under the alternative formula. Also spiking

higher in 2011 was poverty among full-time and part-time

workers.

As a result, the portrait of poverty broken down by state

notably changes. California tops the list, hurt by high

housing costs, large numbers of immigrants as well as less

generous tax credits and food stamp programs to buoy low-

income families. It is followed by the District of Columbia,

Arizona, Florida and Georgia.

In the official census tally, it was rural states that were

more likely to be near the top of the list, led by

Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona and Louisiana.

``We're seeing a very slow recovery, with increases in

poverty among workers due to more new jobs which are low-

wage,'' said Timothy Smeeding, a University of Wisconsin-

Madison economist who specializes in poverty. ``As a whole,

the safety net is holding many people up, while California is

struggling more because it's relatively harder there to

qualify for food stamps and other benefits.''

Broken down by group, poverty was disproportionately

affecting people 65 and older--about 15.1 percent, or nearly

double the 8.7 percent rate calculated under the official

formula. That's because they have higher medical expenses,

such as Medicare premiums, deductibles and drug costs, that

aren't factored into the official rate.

While poverty rates for older Americans as a whole are

higher, the new measure does show improvement in their income

levels--about 15.1 percent were poor last year, down from

15.8 percent in 2010. Smeeding attributes that to a wave of

more affluent, still-working baby boomers in dual-income

households who are beginning to turn 65 and, as a result, are

slowly raising overall income levels for seniors.

Working-age adults ages 18-64 saw an increase in poverty

from 13.7 percent based on the official calculation to 15.5

percent, due mostly to commuting and child care costs.

In contrast, the new measure showed declines in poverty for

children, from 22.3 percent under the official formula to

18.1 percent. Still, they remained the age group most likely

to be economically struggling by any measure.

``These new numbers only reinforce what AARP and AARP

Foundation hear from real people every day: older Americans

are struggling to make ends meet,'' said Deb Whitman,

executive vice president of AARP, an advocacy group.

``Policymakers need to understand that not every senior is

well off and the critically important role Social Security or

Medicare plays as providing a safety net to keep even more

older Americans out of poverty. As Washington debates what

should happen during the lame duck, we cannot afford to

undermine the current safety net that allows many to live

with dignity.''

Hispanics and Asians also saw much higher rates of poverty,

28 percent and 16.9 percent, respectively, compared with

rates of 25.4 percent and 12.3 percent under the official

formula. Their poverty levels rose after the government took

into account safety-net programs such as food stamps and

housing, which have lower participation among immigrants and

non-English speakers.

In contrast, African-Americans saw a modest decrease in

poverty, from 27.8 percent under the official rate to 25.7

percent based on the revised numbers. Among non-Hispanic

whites, poverty rose from 9.9 percent to 11 percent.

Economists long have criticized the official poverty rate

as inadequate. Based on a half-century-old government

formula, the official rate continues to assume the average

family spends one-third of its income on food. Those costs

have actually shrunk to a much smaller share, more like one-

seventh.

The official formula also fails to account for other

expenses such as out-of-pocket medical care, child care and

commuting, and it does not consider noncash government aid,

such as food stamps and tax credits, when calculating income.

In reaction to some of the criticism, the government in

2010 asked the Census Bureau to develop a new measure, based

partly on recommendations made by the National Academy of

Sciences. It released national numbers based on that formula

for the first time last year. This year's release features a

50-state breakdown on poverty, prompted in part by local

officials such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who

have argued that the official measure does not take into

account urban costs of living and that larger cities may get

less federal money as a result.

The goal is to help lawmakers to better gauge the

effectiveness of anti-poverty programs, although it does not

replace the Census Bureau's official poverty formula.

Among the findings:

--If it weren't for Social Security payments, the poverty

rate would rise to 54.1 percent for people 65 and older and

24.4 percent for all age groups.

--Without refundable tax credits such as the earned income

tax credit, child poverty would rise from 18.1 percent to

24.4 percent.

--Without food stamps, the overall poverty rate would

increase from 16.1 percent to 17.6 percent.

``These figures are timely given the looming expiration of

two key measures that account for part of these programs'

large antipoverty impact: federal emergency unemployment

insurance and improvements in refundable tax credits'' such

as the Earned Income Tax Credit, said Arloc Sherman, a senior

researcher at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a

liberal-leaning think-tank. ``Letting these measures expire

at year's end could push large numbers of families into

poverty.''

Mr. Speaker, let me thank Mr. Israel, Mr. Connolly, and Mr. Tonko, as well as all of the members of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, for being such strong advocates for a responsible and sustainable energy future.

Today I rise to speak in favor of the wind production tax credit and urge my colleagues to support its extension. Wind power and other sources of renewable energy are a vital and central part of a sustainable energy future, and they can be harvested right here in America.

In my own district, for example, I am very proud to say that there are currently six companies operating wind power plants. These power plants not only generate energy but also jobs and manufacturing right here at home.

I urge this Congress to support the extension here because it will put people to work in good paying jobs, help rebuild our manufacturing base, and help us achieve energy independence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career and tremendous accomplishments of Dr. Pearl Alice Marsh of California as she retires from a distinguished career in academia, public service and advocacy for both the United States and throughout Africa. Emerging from humble roots to become the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Marsh continues to be an inspiring trailblazer.

Dr. Marsh's prolific career includes a decade of service as Senior Professional Staff for Africa on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Yet, Dr. Marsh's long record of activism is at the heart of her call to service. Playing a role in some of the defining civil and human rights movements of our time, Dr. Marsh spoke out for non- discriminatory Fair Housing in California and helped drive the Civil Rights, Students, Health Rights, Women's and African Liberation movements throughout the 1960s and 1970s. This bold activism was part of an engine for enormous social and political change, and Dr. Marsh's passion for social justice went on to inform every aspect of her long career.

Pearl Alice Marsh began her career as a social worker and advisor to the Oak Park Neighborhood Council Member in Sacramento, CA, in 1968. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, she held many key positions driving efforts to strengthen the response of California communities to mental health issues, including joining the University of California, Berkeley to coordinate health administration and planning seminars for the Neighborhood Health Seminars Project and becoming the Associate Director of Mental Health Planning at Northern Alameda County.

Yet, in 1986, Dr. Marsh turned her attention back to academia and her studies of Africa, accepting a position as Program Director of Berkeley's Center for African Studies. In 1993, she moved to Washington, DC, to put her academic skills into policy practice as the Senior Research Associate for International Affairs at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. In this critical role, Dr. Marsh developed and convened a series of multi-party forums in the run-up to the South African elections, which saw the election of Nelson Mandela as the first black president of the newly racially-integrated South Africa. She later became Executive Director at the Africa Policy Information Center, where she supervised the development of the Advocacy Network for Africa, a network of over 60 human rights, advocacy and humanitarian organizations working to raise the level of understanding and attention to current events in Africa through key policymakers.

In the years that followed, Dr. Marsh employed her ample knowledge and expertise to help guide Congressional policy as Senior Policy Advisor for International Affairs and Domestic Policy for Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald. And, for the next decade, from 2000 to 2011, Dr. Marsh served as a Professional Staff Member on the House International Relations Committee and the Committee on Foreign Affairs where she reported to consecutive chairmen and helped to develop two key pieces of legislation--the U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Authorization Act of 2003 that created PEPFAR and the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership Against HIV/ AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Authorization Act of 2003, which has helped to provide AIDS treatment for more than 6.6 million people around the world.

In the final chapter of her professional career, Dr. Marsh returned to her activist roots, assuming the position of Director of U.S. Policy and Global Health at the ONE Campaign, where she developed an advocacy plan to scale up African co-financing of their national health needs.

On behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, Dr. Pearl Alice Marsh, I salute you. I am proud to call you a colleague, a former constituent, but most importantly my friend. Thank you for your countless contributions to the struggle for equal opportunity and for your manifold commitment to teaching, advocating and producing groundbreaking U.S. foreign policy in the fight against global poverty and disease. I congratulate you on your many achievements, and I wish you and your loved ones all the best in this next chapter of life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 25th Anniversary of the Omega Boys Club/Street Soldiers, an award-winning Bay Area non-profit organization providing a safe space for thousands of at-risk youth to learn violence-prevention skills, survive hardship and thrive in their communities. Under the helm of Executive Director, Dr. Joseph E. Marshall, Jr. and cofounder Jack Jacqua, young men and women throughout the San Francisco Bay Area have gained conflict reduction tools, mentorship opportunities and a new outlook on life-- helping them to achieve stellar education, career and family goals that seemed previously out of reach.

In 1987, two middle school teachers, Joe Marshall and Jack Jacqua, began the Omega Boys Club/Street Soldiers as a program of the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House in response to growing numbers of African American young people dropping out of school and becoming dangerously involved in illegal activity. At first the Club offered traditional activities in recreation and education, but the founders soon adopted an innovative public health intervention method to address the systemic culture of violence deeply ingrained in every facet of the youths' communities. Omega decided to treat violence as a disease that must be diagnosed, addressed and eradicated.

As a result of this early vision, the Omega Leadership Academy has provided more than 1300 boys and girls with academic support, life skills training, college preparation and assistance securing scholarships--all free of charge. With over 175 college graduates and 40 graduate school graduates (and counting), the program has a proven track record of not only changing--but saving lives. Through wrap- around, targeted life services, Omega has kept countless youth out of harm's way and free from incarceration. Moreover, the Omega Training Institute teaches individuals who work with youth--like police officers, development workers and school faculty--how to employ the Omega model's Alive & Free Prescription violence prevention methodology. This program, along with its Street Soldiers National Consortium, School Adoption Program, outreach-conducting Street Soldiers Violence Prevention Program and its acclaimed Nationally Syndicated Street Soldiers Radio Show, have impacted more than 15,000 Bay Area students and countless more across the nation.

Dr. Marshall and Mr. Jacqua have personally spent their entire careers preparing young men and women to achieve their dreams and positively contribute to society. These achievements are unparalleled, and the renowned success of Omega Boys Club/Street Soldiers reflect their many decades of compassionate sacrifice, hard work and groundbreaking ingenuity. I also want to thank and congratulate Omega's many students and alumni for their amazing commitment to pursue these hard-earned achievements.

Omega has proven that communities benefit when youth are given opportunities to live, study and participate as informed and valued citizens. The Omega Boys Club/Street Soldiers is more than a destination for youth seeking a new path; it's a gathering place, a place to find common cause and friendship, and a place to learn and grow. Ultimately, Omega is a place that teaches and empowers all of us to recommit to the principles of nonviolence each and every day.

On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this 25-year milestone in your mission to keep young people ``alive and free.'' I thank all of the many people who have contributed to the continued success of the Omega Boys Club/ Street Soldiers and wish you the very best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional life of Mr. Leonard James Canty, Jr., community stalwart and entrepreneur, co-founder of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. and founder of the Black Economic Council, BEC. ``Len,'' as he was known, was a trailblazing businessman committed to supporting and promoting minority- and women-owned businesses. Known as a hard-working and talented visionary, a passionate advocate and a man of great faith, Mr. Canty has left an indelible mark on Bay Area communities. With his passing on September 22, 2012, we look to Len Canty's legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work.

Born on April 26, 1945, to Leonard James and Elisabeth Canty, Len was part of a large family growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. A U.S. Air Force veteran during the Vietnam War, Mr. Canty moved to Oakland, CA, upon his honorable discharge in 1968. There he met his loving wife and lifelong partner of 42 years, Kyra. Mr. Canty worked for United Airlines and in real estate, until launching his own mortgage brokerage firm, Canty & Associates, in 1984.

Throughout his entrepreneurial success, Mr. Canty never lost sight of the needs of his community. Among his many career milestones, he was a founding member in 1988 and an eventual President of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. A tireless champion for African American equality and opportunity, he was Chairman of the 1993 African American Economic Empowerment Conference and a lecturer in the African American Entrepreneurship program at California State University, East Bay. In the early 1990s, he founded a private equity venture capital fund for small, minority- and women-owned businesses. And, in 2005, after a decade of investment banking, he founded the Black Economic Council, a national 501(c)(3) headquartered in Northern California.

Today, the BEC celebrates its Second Annual Game Changers and Bridge Builders Awards in tribute to its founder, Len Canty, who epitomized the qualities of positive change and collaboration. As an organization facilitating local business development, economic sustainability and job creation to advance the economic platform of Black Americans and underserved communities, BEC is a leading advocate in promoting the equity and self-sufficiency of Black communities through stronger economic infrastructure.

Len Canty's tireless work to open access to intellectual and economic capital for communities of color stretched to many fields. He frequently traveled to Washington, DC, to fight for initiatives and spoke extensively about financial fitness, health disparities, supply diversity issues, regulatory bodies and equal access to federal and corporate contracts. His numerous accolades included, most recently, the 2012 ``Spotlight Award'' from the Bay Area Business Roundtable.

On a personal note, Len was a longtime friend and supporter. His ``tough love'' was a constant source of inspiration. Our conversations were deep and authentic. He was truly a visionary and a magnificent leader who always kept his ``eyes on the prize.'' Moreover, Mr. Canty was a church Deacon and a man of deep compassion. He demonstrated a strength and commitment to both his immediate family and the extended family that he created within our community.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual and inspiring community leader, Mr. Leonard James Canty, Jr. He was a dear friend, a respected colleague and mentor, and a beloved husband, father, son, grandfather, brother and uncle who will be deeply missed by an extended group of loved ones. I offer my sincerest condolences to Len's surviving family and to the many friends and associates whose lives he touched over the course of his incredible life. The Bay Area and the nation has lost one of its greatest advocates for economic justice. May his soul rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my Northern California colleagues George Miller, Jackie Speier, Zoe Lofgren, Mike Thompson, Lynn Woolsey, Anna Eshoo, Doris Matsui, Pete Stark, John Garamendi, Jerry McNerney, Mike Honda, and Sam Farr of California, to honor, celebrate, and remember Ambassador John Christopher ``Chris'' Stevens. A son of Northern California and the Bay Area, Ambassador Stevens tragically lost his life in the greatest service to this country--selflessly and courageously representing American values in a foreign nation he knew intimately and cared for deeply.

Born in 1960 in Grass Valley, California, Ambassador Stevens made a mark early in life as a student at Piedmont High School, where he participated with enthusiasm in academics, the performing arts, and tennis. His education in the 9th Congressional District continued upon his admission to the University of California, Berkeley. As a History major, he delved into studies of the Near East and became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. Later, he earned a law degree from another Bay Area institution, UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. His subsequent work in international trade law preceded the takeoff of his diplomatic career in 1991.

Ambassador Stevens' passion for foreign service began early, starting with his high school participation in an AFS Intercultural Program in Spain and blossoming during his years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. The diverse and instrumental positions he held as a member of the U.S. Foreign Service in Israel, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Washington, D.C., among others, helped to build his deep and personal understanding of the Middle and Near East.

A fluent Arabic speaker, Stevens was selected by President Obama to be the U.S. Special Representative to the National Transitional Council in Libya, undertaking the complicated task of creating connections with insurgents and tribal groups on behalf of the United States. As the Qaddafi regime crumbled, Ambassador Stevens worked passionately towards establishing a nascent Libyan democracy. In the process, he created innumerable personal friendships and professional relationships with Libyans--not only with officials and diplomats, but with everyday people.

In his diplomatic capacity, Ambassador Stevens brought a profound and prolific knowledge of the Arab world to his assignment. His exemplary gift for making personal connections was invaluable in his role as Special Representative and, later, Ambassador, to one of the most complex and challenging regions of the world. Therefore, as we join in recognizing Ambassador Stevens amidst a sober outpouring of praise from his family, colleagues, fellow Americans, and the leaders of this nation, we remember that Chris Stevens was beloved by many Libyans, as well.

In remembering Ambassador Stevens, we also honor the three other Americans who bravely sacrificed their lives alongside him: Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty. The mournful loss of these members of the Foreign Service will not be forgotten. We pay tribute to all of them today and keep their families in our thoughts. We also express our deepest sympathy and condolences to Ambassador Stevens' family, to whom he was a devoted son, brother and stepson who always made time for visits home despite the incredible demands of his diplomatic missions.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Congressional Districts, we join President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and an expansive global network of supporters in saluting Ambassador John Christopher Stevens.

Ambassador Chris Stevens will be remembered for his strong sense of dignity, his humility, and his generous service to others. He will be truly missed by all who loved him and by all he served through the magnitude of his life's work.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall votes 585-586. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted ``yes'' on 585 and ``no'' on 586.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the enduring legacy of two extraordinary, trailblazing women journalists, the late Delilah Beasley and retiring Bay Area icon Belva Davis, as they continue to inspire future generations of young women of color, many of whom will be part of the new Alameda County headquarters of Girls Inc. in Oakland, CA. This extraordinary occasion, hosted by the Progressive Oakland Women for Empowerment and Reform (P.O.W.E.R), is a testament to what is possible when we work together to celebrate, connect and transform the lives of women: past, present and future.

Today, supporters and friends, including esteemed California Governor, Edmund Gerald ``Jerry'' Brown, Jr., and venerable faith leader Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., have gathered to pay tribute to women who changed the face of journalism in the Bay Area and beyond through their intellect and tenacity. Moreover, event proceeds will be donated to the Girls Inc. Building Fund.

In honor of the first annual tea in her name, we recognize American historian and Oakland Tribune newspaper columnist Delilah Leontium Beasley as a true Bay Area unsung hero. Born in 1871, Ms. Beasley's journalism career began by writing short pieces for a black Ohio newspaper called the Cleveland Gazette. In her over 50-year career, Ms. Beasley spent 25 years as a resident of Oakland. And, California and Bay Area communities are forever changed as a result of the far- reaching effects of her transformative work.

She spent nine years scouring University of California, Berkeley library archives to produce The Negro TrailBlazers of California, a groundbreaking and prolific chronicle of California Black History throughout the 1800s. Published in 1919, her book focused on the achievements and sacrifices of black pioneers including prominent stories of women. From 1925 to 1934, she continued her commitment to championing communities of color as the first African American woman to be published regularly in a major newspaper. As an Oakland Tribune columnist, Ms. Beasley gained local acclaim for her positive stories about the Black community and her ability to reach mainstream audiences. She was also a longtime local activist who fought for integration in every level of civic and social life, including helping to spearhead California's first anti-lynching bill. Delilah Beasley should be in the halls of every museum and on the pages of every American history book. This annual event represents a new opportunity make her story and achievements known far and wide.

Today, this legacy continues with the presentation of a P.O.W.E.R Lifetime Achievement Award to eight-time local Emmy winner Belva Davis. As the first African-American woman TV journalist in the Western United States, Ms. Davis is a living legend who tore down media barriers and defied racist stereotypes. For nearly five decades, Ms. Davis has continued to forge ahead, protecting the legacy of women like Delilah Beasley and paving the way for girls like those in Girls Inc. She began her bold career in 1964--the midst of the Civil Rights Movement-- ignoring risk and personal attack to cover history in the making.

A respected anchor for news programs on KPIX-TV and KRON-TV, Ms. Davis has covered high-profile local, national and global news events, interviewing world leaders and U.S. presidents over the decades. Famed for her strong, 19-year presence as the host of public television's, ``This Week in Northern California,'' Ms. Davis will be sorely missed by a bevy of fans, including community leaders, celebrities, colleagues and Bay Area residents. Though her final broadcast will air November 9, 2012, she will continue her role as a long-time community advocate.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, I thank Ms. Belva Davis for a lifetime of service and congratulate her upon receipt of this honor. I thank P.O.W.E.R for their vital work to support the achievement of women and girls, and wish them many more years of successful celebrations of the commemorative, ``Ms. Delilah Beasley Tea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 40th Anniversary of the Center for Independent Living, Inc. (CIL). For four decades, CIL has continued to champion the rights and abilities of people with disabilities to lead self-determined lives marked by activism, equality and community engagement. The first organization of its kind, CIL has made the Bay Area an international model of accessibility, inspiring Independent Living centers in 20 other countries, as well as 400 facilities in the U.S. alone.

This evening, supporters and friends, including esteemed California Governor, Edmund Gerald ``Jerry'' Brown, Jr., gather in the birthplace of the independent living movement, Berkeley, CA. Moreover, the festivities take place at the new, fully accessible Ed Roberts Campus disability service center and transit hub--named for the local founding father of the disability rights movement, Ed Roberts, who was also one of CIL's co-creators. Someone I had the honor to know and work with.

In 1972, what started as a student-organized Physically Disabled Students Program (PDSP) at the University of California, Berkeley branched into the formal incorporation of a Center for Independent Living cofounded by students Ed Roberts, Hale Zukas and Jan McEwan Brown along with community supporters. In the years that followed, CIL became a powerful catalyst for pervasive social change.

Operating on the principle that people with disabilities know best how to meet the needs of others with disabilities and that the strongest most vibrant communities are those that embrace all people, CIL has been a driving force in shaping public policy. Its successes include state and federal disability rights laws, including, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

From early insistence on Berkeley curb cuts and transit station elevators, to working directly with municipal and state agencies and hosting the first National Conference on Independent Living in 1975, CIL became an integral support network--giving people the knowledge and tools to assert their civil rights.

In accordance with a core tenet of CIL's mission, the Center provides comprehensive programs with wraparound services that most effectively meet the needs of people with disabilities. Working with federal, state, county, city and private funding, CIL provides services in assistive technology and repairs, employment and housing, building modifications, Independent Living skills, Deaf Services, information counseling, referrals, personal attendants, travel training, and networking for community organizing. CIL's Employment Academy and Living Well Senior Program, as well as its Mentors, Advocacy and Peer Services (M.A.P.S) program for physically disabled youth and young adults, offer targeted income, wellbeing and mentorship benefits.

As someone with a sister who has been disabled with Multiple Sclerosis since 1974, I personally know the many challenges faced by people with disabilities. Therefore, I honor and salute the Center for Independent Living for its vision and steadfast hard work in meeting these challenges in magnificent ways.

CIL has proven that communities benefit when people with disabilities are given opportunities to live, work and participate as equal citizens. The Center for Independent Living is more than a destination for disability services; It's a gathering place, a place to find common cause and friendship, and a place to learn and grow. Ultimately, CIL is a place that teaches and empowers all of us to strive for independence through social and economic equality.

On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this important, 40-year milestone. I thank all of the many people who have contributed to the continued success of the Center for Independent Living, Inc. and wish you the very best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, as cofounder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to call for an immediate response to the ongoing crisis of poverty in our Nation.

The census numbers released yesterday underscore the urgent need to act boldly and to create jobs in this country, to protect our safety net, and to target resources where they are needed--basically, to communities of color, low-income communities, those communities, rural areas, who were hit hardest by the economic downturn.

It's really beyond shameful that over 45 million Americans, including over 16 million children, are living in poverty in the wealthiest nation in the world. The data also shows a wide racial disparity, with the poverty rates for whites standing at 9.8 percent, while the rates for African Americans and Hispanics remain unacceptably high at 27.6 percent and 25.3 percent, respectively.

In 2005, I founded the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus because of the rising tide of poverty. Some of us saw this unfortunate day coming. That was beginning under the failed policies of the previous administration.

Of course, we also know the terrible economic impact of the massive financial crisis that they left us on their way out of office. With the swift efforts of President Obama and congressional Democrats, we are finally beginning to dig ourselves out of the hole that was left by the Bush administration and slowly moving the poverty rate in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, we must do more and we can do more.

One of the most critical responsibilities we have as a government is to

promote and enact policies that keep our middle class strong and provide opportunities and a safety net for those striving and fighting to become middle class and to get into the ranks of the middle class, to enhance their quality of life. But far too many Americans are continuing to suffer joblessness and have dropped out of the middle class and into poverty because of this Republican do-nothing Congress.

Republicans in Congress have continually blocked efforts to extend and expand vital safety net programs which safeguard millions of American families and children who face stark realities of unemployment, hunger, and homelessness. Further, their continued blocking of critical Federal support to our States and localities has caused widespread layoffs of dedicated public servants like teachers, police officers, and firefighters in communities all across the country.

This attack on our country's public servants has had a particularly hard impact on communities of color and on women across the country. I just have to tell you, African Americans and women have long found job opportunities in the public sector, in public employment. African Americans, in particular, often found work with the city or the State because of racial bias and barriers and obstacles in the private sector.

Mr. Speaker, the American people know that you can't have it both ways. Government spending cannot kill jobs on one hand, when spent on hiring teachers and police officers, and create jobs on the other hand. And those services are desperately needed throughout our country. We need more police officers on the street.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle must begin to accept the reality of history. Federal investments in our Nation's infrastructure, in our schools, and in programs that help struggling families are critical to boosting our economy and spurring our economic recovery.

Tax cuts for millionaires don't pay for themselves; they create massive deficits and weaken our country.

Markets don't regulate themselves. Deregulation allows rampant fraud and creates massive bubbles that inevitably burst and threaten our entire economy.

We need a balanced approach that ensures that every American pays their fair share and is invested in a united and prosperous future for all Americans of every background. We need a balanced approach that ensures that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share so that we can reignite the American Dream for all.

How this Nation treats the least of these is not just a measure of our Nation's moral priorities, but it will directly impact whether the American Dream survives and thrives for all. Let us not forget that our greatest strength is the freedom and opportunity that our democracy created to allow us to work together to build the largest and most prosperous middle class the world has ever known.

But this means that we must reduce and we must eliminate poverty. And I hope in the few days that we're left that this Congress will come together and figure out a way to pass the President's American Jobs Act, because in that legislation we have critical investment to rehire our police officers, teachers and firefighters who desperately need their jobs, but also the services are desperately needed in our communities.