Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1106, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009.

I want to commend Chairman Conyers, Chairman Frank and Speaker Pelosi for their dedication and work in bringing this bill to the floor.

Of course, I would have preferred to vote on the prior, more robust version of this bill, but nevertheless this is an important step forward that will help keep families in their homes.

As we all know the roots of the current economic crisis are grounded in the housing market and the greedy lending practices of the banks.

Many of us warned about this impending housing crisis years ago. As a member of the Financial Services committee for eight years, I remember expressing my concern about the housing bubble and the subprime loans that were fueling it and the consequences to our economy if the bubble popped.

But our warnings fell on deaf ears.

When we tried to encourage the banks to participate in voluntary foreclosure prevention programs to help families in distress, they balked and made every excuse to avoid participating.

Then the economy tanked and they begged us for a bail out.

Now millions more families are threatened with bankruptcy and foreclosure. That's why we are taking this step today, to restore some equity to our bankruptcy laws to allow judicial modifications of mortgages on primary residences and to help keep families in their homes.

I applaud the improvements to the Hope for Homeowners program that are also included in this legislation. We had to address the low rate of participation in this voluntary program and I know that the improvements included here will provide many more homeowners with a way to work out new, affordable mortgages and to continue making their mortgage payments.

Passing this bill will be an important step in stabilizing the housing markets because not only will we help families protect their homes and their assets during this economic crisis, we will strengthen our entire banking system by making permanent the increase in the FDIC insurance limits to $250,000. This will

protect the savings of every American and will increase confidence in the banking systems both here and abroad.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1106.

Mr. Speaker, first let me thank my colleague the gentlewoman from California, Mrs. Capps, for yielding me the time. As a former nurse, Congresswoman Capps understands very, very well what people with multiple sclerosis must go through. I appreciate her work in managing this resolution. I thank her for her advocacy on behalf of people with MS and for working to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable

health care in America. Thank you, Congresswoman Capps.

I also want to thank my colleagues Congressman Russ Carnahan and Congressman Michael Burgess, the cochairs of the Multiple Sclerosis Caucus in the House, for working with me on this resolution and for keeping the Congress focused on MS issues. This is really a bipartisan issue, and I appreciate both of my colleagues for working together to make sure that it stays that way.

I also have to thank the over 110 cosponsors who joined with us to champion MS Awareness Week and who made the consideration of this resolution today possible on the suspension calendar. In particular I want to thank Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Joe Barton and their staffs for agreeing to bring this resolution straight to the floor, and, of course, to Christos Tsentas on my staff, who understands this issue very well and has shepherded us through this process.

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the work also of the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition and in particular the National MS Society and its staff, especially Shawn O'Neail, for leading the charge to create MS Awareness Week and for helping us with this resolution. And, of course, I have to thank all of those who are living and suffering with multiple sclerosis and all of the friends and family and loved ones who care for them and take care of them when they are in need. This resolution is about commending you as well. And let me just say I have to thank my dear sister Mildred for teaching me what it is like to live with multiple sclerosis.

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Capps, I called my sister and I talked to her before I was going to share her story to make sure that she didn't have a problem with any privacy issues, and she said to me, ``Barbara, if there is anything you can do to raise awareness about the condition that not only myself has, but many, many, many Americans, then just do it and share what I have to tell you.'' So this is her story, coming from my sister Mildred.

She said to me, ``You know, it is so frustrating to go to a doctor and for me to ask a doctor a question about the symptoms of my disease and the doctor says `I just don't know.''' She said at first she thought the doctors were just putting her off, but come to find out the doctors just don't know.

So this bill is for all of the times that she told me she gets up in the morning, and this is very typical of MS patients, she gets up in the morning and wonders whether she will be able to walk that day. Let me just say for all of the times that she is in remission, dreading the next flare-up, she said to me that every day she wonders what is going to trigger the return of her symptoms.

Mr. Speaker, she also said to me that it is very important that we raise awareness about MS and that we do more outreach and more public education, more research, and really provide for more care for MS patients and more supportive services. My sister, I believe she was diagnosed when she was about 26 or 27. She didn't tell me I could tell her age, so I won't do that, but she is a year younger than I am and 2 years ago I celebrated the 21st anniversary of my 39th birthday. So you can figure that out.

She has been living a productive and fruitful life. She has learned about the treatments and medications. Fortunately, she has had access to some of the best, and she wants everybody to have access to the types of treatment she has had. But she also recognizes there may or may not be a cure during her lifetime, and that this Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, which we designated for March 2 to March 8, is really the beginning of this effort. So, for that she is deeply grateful, like I know all MS patients are throughout the country.

Some people may not know what multiple sclerosis is. Let me just explain a little bit about it, because this resolution is about raising awareness.

MS is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder where the immune system incorrectly attacks healthy nerve fibers of the central nervous system, interfering with transmission of nerve signals throughout the body. People with MS can experience a range of symptoms that can either have permanent or intermittent damage, depending on the type of MS that they have. These symptoms can include blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, blindness and more.

Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 to 50, just as my sister was, though there is no actual diagnostic laboratory test for multiple sclerosis. I remember my sister was diagnosed by the process of elimination, given all the tests that were available then. Given the range of symptoms that occur, it is also quite common for someone to be misdiagnosed, and typically it takes about 10 years to receive a correct diagnosis.

There are over 400,000 people, 400,000 people, throughout the United States suffering from MS, and worldwide over 2.5 million cases have been diagnosed. But the real numbers of people living with MS are almost certainly higher.

Although MS is largely characterized as a disease that affects Caucasian populations, it does occur among African Americans and other minority groups and can be quite severe. As my sister said, it is a disease that really does need to come out of the closet for people of color. Because people of color tend to access the health care system less frequently, they may not get diagnosed at the rates they should.

Let me just say, our First Lady, Michelle Obama, her dad, Mr. Frasier Robinson, had multiple sclerosis, so our First Family clearly understands the need for this awareness and for outreach efforts and for more resources put forth toward really finding the cause and cure of MS.

The causes of MS are unknown, though there are an unusually high number of MS cases among Gulf War veterans. There is no cure for the disease.

So the resolution that we are considering today will support the work of the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition in raising awareness about MS by urging States, localities and the media to participate in MS Awareness Week. Also we are pleased that the defense appropriations bill included $5 million to fund research into multiple sclerosis among our veterans, so I look forward to working with Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha to ensure that these funds are well used.

Again, let me thank all of my colleagues for their support. It is very timely and urgent that we consider this. On behalf of my sister Mildred, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and all of those individuals throughout the country with MS, let me just thank you so much for your leadership and for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, and I thank Chairman Obey, my Chairman, as well as the leadership, for their work in putting this bill together.

Today's action on the Omnibus Appropriations bill will complete action on the federal budget for fiscal year 2009.

When we originally began this process over a year ago, we were dealing with a President who rejected the idea that we needed to invest in our children's education.

He didn't think we should fund job training and employment services to ensure that American workers could compete in the global economy.

He didn't think that all Americans should have access to quality affordable health care, or that we should try and lift up the more than 37 million people living in poverty.

He rejected the basic notion that ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'' and tried to cut funding for the CDC, while opposing increases in funding for cutting edge biomedical research to create the next generation of miracle drugs.

He told us in no uncertain terms that he would veto any federal budget we passed that tried to invest in education, job training, healthcare, alternative energy, and local law enforcement and ensure the continued prosperity of our nation.

And he did so while demanding that we provide hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the ongoing war and occupation in Iraq, and to bail out the banking industry for their greed and mismanagement.

Rather than accepting the President's position that the American people were not worth investing in, we decided to wait him out.

Today we have a President, who rejects the failed economic policies and ideologies of the last eight years.

We have a President who believes that, yes, the American people--our constituents--deserve a government that works for them, and that is willing to invest in them to ensure that they can get a good education, live healthy and productive lives, and obtain meaningful employment, and raise their children in a just and peaceful world.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, change has indeed come to our nation's capital. And now we've got to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 makes critical investments in a range of programs and builds on the economic stimulus package to help put America to work.

I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor I proudly rise in strong support of H. Res. 83, which recognizes the significance of Black History Month. Since 1926, the contributions of African Americans have been recognized and celebrated each February. It comes as no surprise that this year Black History Month is especially significant with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation's 44th President.

I thank my colleague and friend from Texas, Congressman Al Green, for introducing this very important resolution. The joy we all feel on this occasion is tempered by the grief that still lingers over the sudden loss last year of our dear friend and colleague, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio.

For more than 400 years and despite tremendous hardships such as slavery, segregation, and legalized injustice, African Americans

have made significant contributions to the economic, educational, political, artistic, literary, religious, scientific, and technological life in the United States.

As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, let me say that it is altogether fitting and proper that we set aside the month of February to remember and honor the achievements and contributions of American heroes like George Washington Carver, Dr. Charles Drew, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, Jackie Robinson, Crispus Attucks, Tiger Woods, Benjamin Banneker, and Guion Bluford, Jr.

But Mr. Speaker, nothing wilts so fast as laurels that are rested upon. Time marches on and history unfolds daily. The greatest contributions to the American experience are yet to be made. The challenges facing our country are great but not as great as our will to overcome them. We have an economy to rebuild, an environment to protect, a generation to educate, diseases to cure, and lives to reclaim.

We will succeed. And when the history of this period is written, I have no doubt that it will record the tremendous accomplishments made by Americans, including African Americans.

We will rebuild our economy, preserve the environment and protect the planet, end the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other scourges; provide a world class education to the next generation; and demonstrate to the world not only that it is possible but desirable for people of different races, creeds, and religions to live and work together in peace and harmony.

As members of the greatest legislative body in the world it remains our duty this month and every month of every year to pursue policies that promote social and economic justice.

As an African American woman and legislator who has been benefited from the pioneering work of others, I am committed to doing all that I can to ensure that the doors of opportunity are opened even wider and that all persons in our country have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and realize their dreams.

I urge all Members to joining me in voting to support this resolution.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

First let me thank the gentlelady from Ohio for yielding and also for your leadership.

Let me give just a bit of history. We have been for many years now holding these special orders to make sure that the country understood what the priorities are of the Congressional Black Caucus, which, of course, we believe will make America live up to its creed of liberty and justice for all. As a result of that, the late beloved Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones chaired these special orders every week for us to sound the alarm, to beat the drum, to make sure the country knew the work of the Congressional Black Caucus.

I want to thank the gentlelady from Ohio for continuing this tradition. This is truly historical. She is such a great leader, not only in her home State, but throughout the country. This is her first night chairing this, and we look forward to continuing the legacy of those who came before us to make sure that the agenda of the Congressional Black Caucus is put forth center front so that the country can know exactly the work of this great and august body.

This is Black History Month. It began in 1926 as Negro History Week out of Dr. Carter G. Woodson's frustrations over the lack of black history in history books. For 83 years, the contributions of African Americans have been recognized and celebrated each February. It comes as no surprise that this year Black History Month is especially significant with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our Nation's 44th President.

Forty years ago, the Congressional Black Caucus was founded with a simple yet a very profound goal, and I would like to read you what the founding statement said. Part of the statement said, ``To positively influence the course of events pertinent to African Americans and others of similar experience and situation and to achieve greater equity for persons of African descent in the design and content of domestic and international programs and service.''

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the legacy of so many of our heroes and our sheroes whose stories sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. For more than 400 years, and despite tremendous hardships, African Americans have made significant contributions to the economic, educational, political, artistic, literary, religious, scientific and technological work in the United States.

In the words of the old Negro spiritual, we have come this far by faith: Faith in the divine justice of a merciful God; faith in the ideals proclaimed to the world in the Declaration of Independence by the founders; and faith in the capacity of Americans of all creeds, races and religions to devote their lives to making America freer, stronger, better, more equal and more just.

Earlier this month, the Congressional Black Caucus, led by the Honorable Danny Davis from Illinois, held a Black History Month program to honor and celebrate the legacy of a truly courageous group of trailblazers, the 22 black lawmakers who served in the House and the Senate in the two decades after the Civil War. Every African American Member of Congress today and tomorrow will forever owe them a debt of gratitude. We must all pay tribute to this group, because they symbolized more than the Union's victory over the Confederate and the eradication of the institution of slavery.

These men, eight of whom had been held as human chattel, represented the embodiment of hope. Hope not only that the shackles of slavery could be broken, but hope that America was indeed capable of fulfilling the principles of liberty, equality and justice for all who called this land home.

``Place all citizens upon one broad platform,'' declared Representative Richard Cain of South Carolina, who served two non- consecutive terms during the 1870s. He said, ``All we ask of this country,'' right here on this floor, ``is to put no barriers between us, to lay no stumbling blocks in our way; to give us freedom to accomplish our destiny.'' That was in the 1870s. Of course, part of that destiny, as I said earlier, was fulfilled on Tuesday, November 4, when this Nation elected Barack Obama President of the United States.

We all know too well that electoral victories, however, can be fleeting if they are not coupled with a sustained commitment day in and day out to protect and empower all Americans.

Despite the bravery and efforts of this early vanguard of black lawmakers, for most African Americans the strides made during the reconstruction period gave way to an era of Jim Crow, which many of us remember and experienced. And black lives in many of the lands that once were represented here on Capitol Hill by African Americans, and elsewhere in our country, were routinely lynched and subjected to second-class citizenship.

Yet I am certain that we all know the true possibilities of this great country, and we know what we believe in can be achieved. And we owe this in no small measure due to what I like to call this original Congressional Black Caucus, those 22 Members, then moving forward to the 13 Members who founded the Congressional Black Caucus 40 years ago. And, yes, still today, the Congressional Black Caucus of 42 members of Congress, continues to be the conscience of the Congress and will continue, will continue, to work day and night to make this a more perfect Union.

Thank you, Congresswoman Fudge, for leading us tonight and for leading us through the next couple of years with these special orders. Thank you for allowing me to speak for a few minutes tonight.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mr. Ralph Grant. An Oakland icon, loving father, husband, friend, and compassionate soul, he will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Ralph passed away on February 2, 2009.

Ralph was my accountant but, more importantly, he was my friend; he was my brother. Like many, I could totally trust him with my private business and I benefitted from his ``tough love.'' As his client, he gave me solid advice on my personal matters. My former company, the W.C. Parish Co., Inc., survived many ups and downs thanks to Ralph's genius, his patience and his wise counsel.

Mr. Grant was a graduate of McClymonds High School in Oakland, CA. His educational experiences included earning both his Bachelor of Arts (Accounting) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from San Francisco State University, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) degree from Golden Gate University.

Mr. Grant's professional accomplishments are extremely impressive and span the areas of law, accounting, taxation, investment banking, real estate, and professorship. Mr. Grant was a J.D. as well as a CPA. He founded Grant & Smith, LLP, a certified public accounting and management-consulting firm, located in Oakland, California which has serviced the San Francisco Bay Area for over thirty years.

Prior to establishing Grant & Smith, LLP, Mr. Grant's professional experiences included five years as an Internal Revenue Service Agent with the United States Treasury Department, and three years as an instructor in taxation and small business management at San Francisco State University. He was also a real estate broker, an officer of RVS Realty & Mortgage Corporation, and a member of RVS Investment Advisors of California, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm.

Mr. Grant was licensed with the California State Bar, the California State Board of Accountancy, the Supreme Court of the State of California, the United States Tax Court, California Department of Insurance, and the California Department of Real Estate. Mr. Grant also passed the Series 7 and 66 examinations.

Mr. Grant's organizational affiliations included memberships with the National Association of Black Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, California Society of Certified Public Accountants and Charles Houston Bar Association. Mr. Grant was elected to and served as the 2004-2005 Western Region Representative and San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Director for the National Association of Black Accountants Division of Firms.

With all of these professional accomplishments, Mr. Grant's deep commitment to the community was unparalleled. Mr. Grant was a philanthropist who cared deeply about youth and education. He regularly provided volunteer services as a board member to entrepreneurial and youth focused not-for profit organizations such as the Marcus Foster Educational Institute, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Eddie Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund, Donald McCullum Youth Court and the Oakland Private Industry Council. With all of these activities, one of Mr. Grant's favorite pursuits was coaching in the Oakland Metropolitan Babe Ruth Baseball League, and he often joked that this occupied his ``spare time.''

Several years ago I had the opportunity to work with Ralph to take the team to Cuba. My official duties prevented me from going, but Ralph and I enjoyed many conversations about his experience in Cuba. He was truly a Renaissance man who had dreams and worked to make them come true.

Ralph showed us how to live life to its fullest and he showed us how to die with dignity and with grace. For that we are deeply grateful. Although we will miss him in our daily lives, his spirit will be kept alive by embracing his mantle of service, mentorship, strength, commitment and compassion.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes Ralph Grant, honoring his incredible life and inspiring legacy. We thank his family for sharing this amazing human being with us, especially his wife, Gloria Grant, his two children, Casey Grant and Kimberley Henderson, his son-in-law Lee Henderson, and a host of additional family members and friends. May the Grace of God reassure his family that his soul is resting in eternal peace.

Madam Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and applaud our Speaker and President Obama and our leadership for a fair and balanced bill.

The disastrous economic policies of the previous administration, including the irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy, the war in Iraq and a regulated financial services industry, have left our Nation in shambles. Many more people, millions more, are living in poverty, without health insurance, and unemployment is through the roof.

Recognizing this urgency, I established the Congressional Black Caucus Economic Recovery Task Force, chaired by Congressman Cleaver, to help guide our response to the economic crisis.

Historically, the role of the Congressional Black Caucus has been to act as the conscience of the Congress and ensure that no American is left behind.

This is our moral responsibility. That was our overriding goal with this bill, as we sought to create more jobs for more people.

This package will help working families by expanding food stamps, unemployment insurance, and health coverage for the uninsured, and investing in education and job training, infrastructure, foreclosure relief, and assistance.

It's not perfect. It should have been much, much bigger, but it's a critical first step. It reflects our values as a Nation.

Although the American dream has turned into a nightmare for many during this economic crisis, many people, many people have been living this nightmare for years. So we've got to continue to fight on their behalf, and we will.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Thank you for yielding. And let me just say I, today, rise in support of the rule and also, of course, the bill.

First let me just say the economic policies of the previous administration we all recognize has left our Nation in shambles. The huge tax cuts for the wealthy, the war in Iraq--$10 billion a month-- and the greed in this unregulatory environment of the previous administration has brought us to this point. And so I think it's incumbent upon the Republicans, especially, in this body to work together to try to help this country dig itself out of what has transpired in the last 8 years.

Today, more people are living in poverty, more people are living without health insurance, and more people are unemployed than they were 8 years ago, and it's only getting worse. That's why the bill we're debating today is so important.

I applaud President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, our leadership, Majority Whip Clyburn and Chairman Obey, for crafting this robust economic stimulus package and their efforts to ensure bipartisanship in this. I'm pleased that it includes funding for a number of important initiatives that many of us have fought for, including extended unemployment benefits, expanding the food stamp program, and providing increased Medicaid funding to the States to help people just get through this crisis. It also funds a range of transportation and infrastructure projects to rebuild our roads, modernize our schools, rehab our housing stock and prevent foreclosures. It creates jobs. It puts our Nation's path to recovery in a very strong position by including $4 billion in job training, including $500 million in green jobs and $1.2 billion in youth training programs.

I'm pleased that State and local governments will be able to tap into the $2.7 billion of these job training funds to fund innovative programs to provide reemployment services, job training, summer jobs, and year-round employment for youth.

Taken together, this bill will help put our Nation back on the right track.

But frankly, I think--and many of us think--it could and should have been much bigger, at least $1 trillion, but we're working together to try to reach some type of consensus so that we can move forward in a bipartisan fashion. It should have been enacted, I think, a year ago, when some of us first called for a new stimulus package to jump-start our economy. Instead, the previous administration just refused to take action, letting our economy collapse before choosing to bail out their

friends. So let's move this bill forward. Let's move this bill forward for Main Street.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of 384, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Reform and Accountability Act of 2009.

Although I ended up supporting the bill establishing TARP last October, I was under no illusions about whether a bailout of the financial services industry would actually work to prevent an economic collapse.

Even though we had included a number of critical improvements in the bill to ensure accountability and transparency and protect the economic security of all individuals, not just corporations on Wall Street, the intent of Congress was ultimately ignored by the Bush administration.

As a result the TARP program as administered by President Bush has failed to stem the tide of foreclosures and has failed to track or explain how $350 billion of taxpayer money has been spent to date.

That is why we are here today.

The bill that Chairman Frank has developed would completely revamp the TARP program to ensure that funds are spent responsibly and transparently to help stabilize our economy and get credit flowing again. Most importantly, it would take significant steps to help Americans stay in their homes and ensure the continued availability of affordable housing.

By passing this significant overhaul of the TARP program combined and with the commitment of President Obama to properly administer the program according to the standards articulated in this bill, we can help millions of individuals keep their homes while providing liquidity to credit markets and accountability to taxpayers.

I want to thank Chairman Frank for his work on this bill, and for agreeing to accept an amendment that Congresswoman Waters, Congressman Meeks, and I offered to ensure that minorities and women-owned business are included in the contracting activity and use of TARP funds. I also want to thank and acknowledge the work of both my colleagues in crafting this important amendment.

Among several objectives, the amendment that we offered would require:

(1) The Secretary of the Treasury to establish an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion;

(2) Each institution that receives TARP funds to develop and implement standards and procedures to ensure the inclusion and utilization of minorities and women-owned businesses in all business and activities, at all levels, including procurement, insurance, and all types of contracts; and

(3) A detailed report to Congress by the Treasury Department describing the actions taken by the Office and each assisted institution to ensure the participation of minority and women owned business in all contracts related to the use of TARP funds, including a statement of the total amounts paid to third party contractors and the percentage of such amounts paid to minority and women-owned businesses.

In making sure that minority businesses and woman-owned business are included as part of TARP activity, we are providing a level playing field for these businesses to compete and take part in the business activities of the Federal government.

So I want to again thank Chairman Frank for accepting the amendment.

In conclusion, although I believe that the Bush administration mishandled the TARP program, I believe we must act to provide President Obama and his economic team with the opportunity to utilize the remaining money to ensure that we keep homeowners in their homes.

That is why I will vote in favor of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization bill.

I want to thank Chairman Waxman and Chairman Pallone and all the staff for their work in ensuring that this bill moves forward as one of our highest priorities in the 111th Congress.

Today we will take the long overdue step to expand health insurance coverage to over 11 million children throughout the country.

As our Nation remains mired in the depths of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the action we take now could not be more important or more necessary.

The fact is that the economic policies of the outgoing administration have left our Nation in worse shape than we were 8 years ago.

Today, more people are living in poverty, more people are living without health insurance, and more people are unemployed than they were 8 years ago.

As always, it is the most vulnerable, the children, who suffer the greatest during tough economic times like these.

Passage of the SCHIP legislation today will at least help to make life a little easier for 4 million more children who will receive health coverage under this expanded program.

Although I strongly support this legislation, I believe it can still be improved, most immediately by removing the citizenship verification requirements that remain in this bill.

Ultimately we must move our Nation towards a universal health care system to cover all children and all Americans. Nonetheless this bill is an important step forward.

Madam Speaker, the Nation's children have waited far too long for this moment. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and accomplishments of Mr. Hal Ellis, Jr. Mr. Ellis contributed immeasurably to the development and economic growth of the 9th Congressional District. He was a devoted community leader, creative and innovative entrepreneur, and a great source of support and encouragement to those who knew him. Our community said goodbye to Hal on January 6, 2009, after a courageous five-year battle with metastatic melanoma.

Hal Ellis was born on August 4, 1931 to Harold and Bertha Ellis in Portland, Oregon. However, his family moved to Oakland, California just two years later in 1933. For this reason, and as a result of the endless dedication and compassion Mr. Ellis exhibited for the Oakland community throughout his life, everyone considered Hal a native ``Oaklander.''

Hal graduated from Piedmont High School in 1949 and received a Bachelors Degree from the prestigious University of California, Berkeley in 1953. He was a member of the legendary 1951 and 1952 Cal Bears football teams under the leadership of Coach Pappy Waldorf, affectionately known as ``Pappy's Boys.'' While at Cal, Mr. Ellis also served as President of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In 1955, Mr. Ellis graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and then went on to serve his country for two years in the United States Air Force as an intelligence officer stationed in Morocco.

Mr. Ellis was ambitious and driven from a very young age. In 1958, at the age of 27, Mr. Ellis co-founded Grubb & Ellis Co. along with his business partners Don and John Grubb. Mr. Ellis guided the company as its Chairman and CEO, bringing others up with him as he led the company through countless successful ventures. In the following decades, Mr. Ellis would become one of the most prolific and iconic real estate developers in the Greater Bay Area.

Mr. Ellis directly oversaw the growth of his company from a small Oakland development firm into a national diversified real estate company. Most influential to the lives of residents in my district, the work that Mr. Ellis' company performed and the vision Mr. Ellis had for the architectural and urban integrity of our area dramatically reshaped downtown Oakland, California. Nationally, his company would grow to such influence that it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Ellis' keen business sense and tireless dedication elevated his company to the prominent position as the largest independently owned, publicly traded real estate firm in the United States. Today, the company boasts 130 offices world-wide.

Sixteen years ago, Mr. Ellis co-founded Ellis Partners LLC with his daughter, Melinda and his son, James. Ellis Partners LLC has, in its own right, become one of California's largest commercial developers and investors. Hal also formed Catalist Homes, which reflected his vision for the future of the residential real estate industry by creating a model of technical intelligence and efficiency.

Although Mr. Ellis' influence and impact was truly phenomenal in scope, his true contribution was the indelible imprint he left on the landscape of Oakland, California. His efforts led to the development of the Oakland City Center and Oakland's Jack London Square. Both of these developments have been and are critical to the vibrancy of a diverse and complex urban area whose residents deserve the opportunity afforded by a healthy local economy where small businesses can thrive.

Mr. Ellis was extremely involved in his community and professional organizations. He was an excited and inspiring individual, always ready to share his vision for the future and work on creative collaborations to bring innovation and growth to the development industry. Hal was a member of the Pacific Union Club, the Claremont Country Club, the World Presidents Organization and several additional real estate industry organizations.

A gentleman with endless optimism and strength, even Mr. Ellis' illness produced in him a sense of urgency to make a difference and advocate on behalf of others suffering from this devastating form of cancer. With the support and partnership of his family members, the University of California, San Francisco and Bain & Company, Mr. Ellis led the efforts to form the Melanoma Therapeutics Foundation. In the hopes of expediting the discovery of a cure for this disease, his family continues to remain involved and encourage support of this important organization in memory of Mr. Ellis.

On behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, I would like to thank Hal Ellis' family for sharing this wonderful spirit with us, especially his loving wife of 22 years, Marian Ellis, his sister, Jackie Ellis Leisz, his sons Stephen and James Ellis, his daughters Melinda Ellis Evers, Chantal Lamberto, and Jackie Lamberto, his daughters-in-law Karen and Melissa, sons-in-law Will and Eli, and of course his beloved grandchildren, Katherine, Audrey, Elizabeth, Ryan, Tyler, Gracie, Morgan, and Braydon. Mr. Ellis' legacy will live on through his devoted family and a host of loving friends. May his soul rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 43, which recognizes the efforts of those who serve their communities on Martin Luther King Day and promotes the holiday as a day of national service.

Fifteen years ago, the enactment of the King Holiday and Service Act officially designated Martin Luther King Day as a national day of volunteer service. Each year since, millions of Americans across the country, and thousands in my congressional district, have been inspired to serve their neighbors and communities every third Monday of January.

This is an impressive achievement but it is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest figures in world history. Dr. King dedicated and, ultimately, sacrificed his life to serve others, especially ``the least of these.'' As he famously observed, ``Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.''

Mr. Speaker, at this defining moment in history our country faces enormous challenges and given the enormity of unmet needs, every contribution--big and small--matters.

All across our land, there are children and adults to educate; seniors to care for; hungry persons to feed; jobless to train and employ; the environment to protect; and justice to pursue. In short, there is much unfinished work to be done.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and thousands of other nonprofit, community, national service, and education organizations across the country for encouraging Americans to serve their communities this holiday and throughout the year.

I urge all Americans to honor Dr. King by making the holiday in his honor a ``day on,'' not a day off. Dr. King could always be found serving others. So should we.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 12, the Paycheck Fairness Act. I want to thank my colleague Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for introducing it, a champion for women and working families. And I also want to thank President-elect Obama for urging us to pass this important bill.

In 1963, women working full-time made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. For every dollar men earn today, women earn 78 cents. Over the last 45 years the wage gap has narrowed by less than half a cent per year. Clearly, we still have a long way to go.

The wage gap is most severe for women of color. It is absolutely inexcusable that women and especially minority women earn a fraction of what men earn for the same job.

African-American women earn just 63 cents on the dollar and Latina women earn far worse at 52 cents. In my own State of California, Black women earn only 61 percent, and Latina women only 42 percent, of the wages of White men. That is outrageous.

The wage disparity begins at the start of a woman's work life and grows wider as women age. In the long term, this pattern of substantially lower lifetime earnings affects the quality of life for women and their families. It limits their opportunities for promotion, and contributes to decreased savings, pension income, and Social Security benefits. The result is that quite simply, many women are at risk of falling into poverty as they get older.

H.R. 12 takes immediate steps to close the wage gap for all women by amending and strengthening the Equal Pay Act, EPA, of 1963, so that it will be a more effective tool in combating gender-based pay discrimination.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support of the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself and to condemn unequivocally the rocket attacks launched by Hamas on Israel. I believe there can be no military solution to this conflict, only a political solution reached by the parties assisted by the United States acting as an honest broker. Seldom do I vote present but I will in this case. Let me explain why.

First, the resolution ought to make it clear that the only way to remove the threat to Israel, and to the larger region, is to resolve these issues through an immediate cease-fire and commit the United States to high-level and sustained diplomacy in support of the Road Map and initiatives. This resolution does not address how to end the escalating violence.

Second, the resolution should offer concrete steps to be taken immediately to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The resolution is silent on this point.

The bottom line is there is absolutely no military resolution to the issues confronting this region--notwithstanding the acts of self- defense to which Israel has resorted.

That is why I renew my call for the administration to redouble its efforts in discharging its indispensable role as honest broker in the peace process needed to realize the two-state solution and secure Israel's right to peaceful co-existence and the right of the Palestinians to live in dignity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mrs. Madeline DeLoach Franklin. A loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and compassionate soul, Madeline will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Madeline passed away on December 21, 2008, at the age of 94, less than 1 month short of her 95th birthday.

Born on January 17, 1914, Madeline had a long and fascinating life. She not only witnessed the most transformative periods in our Nation's history, she actively participated in them. Madeline Franklin was a vanguard of the pre-civil rights era and an inspiring political mother to many activists from the civil rights movement up until the present.

Madeline was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her parents, William and Dora C. DeLoach, moved the family from New Orleans to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during World War I. In Philadelphia, Mr. and Mrs. DeLoach founded St. Philip's Lutheran Church and raised their children in the spirit of community service. Growing up during the first decades of the 20th century, Madeline shared a simple and happy childhood with her nine older siblings. It was during this time that Madeline developed her strong social values, faith in God, and belief in the necessity of justice and human dignity for all people. She would carry these values with her and teach them to those fortunate enough to know her for over 70 years.

After graduating from the prestigious Philadelphia Girls High School, Madeline returned to New Orleans to attend Dillard University, where she pledged as a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She graduated in 1939, and by that time had already fulfilled one of her dreams by becoming an accomplished pianist. Madeline was living in Pass Christian, Mississippi, and it was during this period that she decided to formally pursue a career in education and become politically active in the most important efforts of her time--actions that would serve as the precursors to the civil rights movement in America. Even before Rosa Parks' famous refusal to give up her bus seat to make room for White passengers in 1955, Madeline DeLoach was refusing to sit on wheel covers or wait for the next bus to come in the 1930s in Jackson, Mississippi.

During that same period she met her future husband, Dr. Charles L. Franklin, who was living in New York after graduating from Columbia University in 1936 at the age of 25. At that time, Dr. Franklin was one of the youngest PhDs in the country, and the only African-American with a doctorate degree in his field. A specialist in social legislation, labor economics, and statistics, Dr. Franklin was an energetic intellectual at the forefront in the struggle for employment integration in the Federal government. On his own merit he received the highest average of all of the competitors in the

New York State Civil Service Examination, bringing mass attention to the issue of inequality. Madeline and Charles were wed on May 24, 1943.

Although not related by blood, Madeline was part of my extended family who I loved dearly. She was a wise woman who inspired me and supported me in all of my efforts. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Madeline was an incredibly intelligent, sophisticated, and talented individual. She was an African-American woman born in the American south at the turn of the century, a teenager and young woman of the Great Depression, an adult of the pre-civil rights era, and a mentor of the civil rights movement. Undoubtedly, Madeline faced every conceivable challenge of her generation, gender, and as a person of color. However, not only did Madeline survive these difficult and tumultuous times, she triumphed and brought countless others up behind her.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes Madeline DeLoach Franklin, honoring her incredible life and inspiring legacy. We thank her family for sharing this amazing spirit with us, especially her three children, Charles L. Franklin, Jr., Dolores Mercedes Franklin, and Estelle Diane Franklin, her grandchildren, Sharath Smith and Michelle Franklin, Lynnette Franklin and Charles Franklin, her great-grandchildren Brian and David Smith, her daughter-in-law Alexis M. Herman, her grandsons-in-law Jeffrey Smith and Christian Duffus, and a host of additional family members and friends. May her soul rest in peace.