Floor Statements

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act. H.R. 915 would, for the first time, statutorily authorize an important border security program, the BEST program.

Under BEST, ICE partners with Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement counterparts to establish targeted, cross-agency teams to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal

organizations posing significant threats to the border security. Currently, the BEST programs has 31 teams located at our Nation's northern and southern borders, as well as at seaports and places as varied as Tucson, Arizona; Detroit, Michigan; the New York Seaport; and Mexico City, Mexico.

To date, BEST units have initiated more than 6,800 cases, resulting in criminal and administrative arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of narcotics, weapons, ammunition, and currency.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the original sponsor of the legislation under consideration, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I ask support of H.R. 915. It's a good bill. I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3140, the Mass Transit Intelligence Prioritization Act, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as ranking member on the Committee on Homeland Security, I have observed that mass transit systems over the years have consistently been a target for terrorist groups, including al Qaeda. H.R. 3140, the Mass Transit Intelligence Prioritization Act, requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the assignment of mass transit intelligence analysts, including from TSA, to State and local fusion centers with major mass transit systems in their jurisdictions.

In short, this is a commonsense bill that would enhance security for the mass transit systems of our Nation by improving the sharing of information, and I urge my colleagues' support of it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the original sponsor of the legislation under consideration and a former member of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

I have no other speakers, and I'm prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3140, as introduced by our former committee colleague, Ms. Speier, is a needed, commonsense piece of legislation with a history of bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support this measure and the security of our mass transit systems.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a true champion of literacy, Mrs. Shirley Morgan. Mrs. Morgan serves as librarian at Madison Shannon Palmer High School in Marks, Mississippi. She is the wife of Elton Morgan, mother of one daughter, the second of twelve siblings and a 26-year resident of Crenshaw, Mississippi.

Shirley is a graduate of Grambling State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She has also received her certification in Library Media Science from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, which allowed her to further her career as a teacher consultant with Mississippi Valley State University Writing Project and serve as a mentor for new teachers. Mrs. Morgan has also worked as Site Coordinator with the North Delta 21st Century Community Learning Center's after school tutorial program for the Quitman County School District.

Mrs. Morgan believes reading is a tool of empowerment and a lifelong skill that increases one's ability to learn. She encourages reading at all levels, so much that she urges pregnant women to read to their unborn children with hopes of increasing their learning capabilities.

In addition to her commitment to education, Mrs. Morgan has a firm commitment to public service. She formerly served as Alderwoman for the Town of Crenshaw for 4 years and volunteers extensively with the Crenshaw Interested Community Builders, Inc., Food Bank of Crenshaw and the Tri-County Workforce Alliance in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Mrs. Morgan is also active in her church, New St. John Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as church clerk and Sunday School Superintendent.

Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Shirley Morgan as a committed educator, public servant, mother and wife.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mrs. Shirley W. Simmons. Mrs. Simmons is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi and a graduate of Brinkley High School and Jackson State University. After college, Mrs. Simmons worked in early childhood education for a number of years. She then took time off from education to focus on raising her children. During those years, she took an active interest in the Parent Teachers Association, PTA, and volunteered with school fundraisers and local Girl Scout troops.

In 1996, she was hired as a Circulation Assistant with the Jackson/ Hinds Library System-Medgar Evers Branch. While there, she was promoted to Professional Assistant and then to her current position of Branch Supervisor.

As Branch Supervisor, Mrs. Simmons continuously seeks new ways to involve the community in programs and activities being held by the library and has planned and participated in many library activities. Some of these include library story times, Medgar Evers celebrations, Medgar Evers parades, the Books for Tots program, the Medgar Evers Book Club, and annual summer reading programs.

Mrs. Simmons assists annually with the Jackson State University Alumni Association fundraising initiatives and participates in breast cancer awareness activities. She is also a Silver Life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Mrs. Simmons is a devoted wife and mother and grandmother of three children and one grandchild.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Shirley W. Simmons for her commitment to the community and others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, the late, Crystiana Smith Randle. Mrs. Randle was born August 26, 1924 in Gulfport, Mississippi to John and Annie Bell Smith.

She was a graduate of Thirty-Third High School in Gulfport, Mississippi. Later she attended Tougaloo College, in Tougaloo, Mississippi, receiving a Bachelors of Arts in English and Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Masters in Library Science.

After completing her college education, she worked at Mileston High School and Harmony High School before her tenure at McNair High School and Humphreys County High School as the school's librarian.

She worked delightfully and diligently for thirty-four years teaching and illuminating the lives of thousands of boys and girls until her retirement in 1986.

She was active in many professional organizations and served as a member of the Humphreys County Library Board. She dedicated her years as her family's personal Genealogist.

She was married to Thomas C. Randle and was the mother of two daughters, Santa and Regina. Mrs. Randle passed away on April 20, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Crystiana Smith Randle for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the people of Taiwan on the occasion of their presidential inauguration this May 20. Mr. Ma Ying-jeou was reelected to a second term on January 14th. May the long-term ongoing relationship between Taiwan and the United States continue to develop and grow and may there be permanent peace and security in the Taiwan Strait. Congratulations to President Ma Ying-jeou and his people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill.

At the beginning of this Congress, expectations were high for meaningful progress on cybersecurity. Speaker Boehner even established a task force within the Republican Conference to come up with recommendations.

But a funny thing happened on the way to Cyber Week. Key Republican task force recommendations were abandoned. They abandoned measures to approve data breach notification laws, formalize DHS' cyber-role and, more importantly, enhance the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure networks.

These omissions from Cybersecurity Week were no small matter. We all have critical infrastructure in our districts, be it a pipeline, a power plant, an airport or even a dam.

Top national security officials, both in the Obama and Bush administrations, have briefed us on the significant cyberattacks to critical infrastructure. They have told us that voluntary information- sharing is simply not enough.

In fact, the CSIS Cyber Commission, the Republican task force, and NSA Director Alexander have all said that Congress must do something to proactively address critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.

But House leadership ignores these voices. Instead, it has decided that information-sharing alone is enough to fix the problem.

Mr. Speaker, this boils down to a simple question: Who do you trust?

Turning to H.R. 3523: What does it do?

In an effort to improve our cybersecurity, this bill would erode the privacy protections of every single American using the Internet. Put simply, this bill would allow any certified business to share with any government agency, who can then use this information for any national security purpose and grant that business immunity from virtually any liability. None of these amendments authored by the Intelligence Committee would change that truth.

Further, the Rules Committee decided to block consideration of amendments submitted by me and other like-minded colleagues to address the fundamental privacy flaws in this bill.

If my colleagues want to do something on cybersecurity, then vote ``yes'' on any or all of the suspension bills to be considered today; but do not vote for H.R. 3523. It would set back the privacy rights that our constituents have enjoyed since the beginning of the Internet.

Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and the underlying bill.

Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3523. I also appreciate the efforts of my colleagues on the Intelligence Committee for fostering a greater sharing of cyberthreat information. This bill is a start, but my opposition is because it does not do what we know that we need to have done.

Having been involved in homeland security issues for nearly a decade, I know how important it is to protect our Nation's networks from cyberattacks. But in an effort to foster information-sharing, this bill would erode the privacy protections of every single American using the Internet. It would create a Wild West of information-sharing, where any certified business can share with any government agency, who can then use the information for any ``national security'' purpose and grant that business immunity from virtually any liability. None of the amendments offered by the chairman and ranking member would change any of those basic facts.

I and several of my colleagues offered amendments that would have addressed those concerns by ensuring that civilian agencies would take the lead in information-sharing, restricting how the government could use the information, and making sure consumers' sensitive information is adequately protected. Unfortunately, the House will not have an opportunity to consider them today.

If my colleagues want to accomplish something on cybersecurity, then vote ``yes'' on any or all of the suspension bills before us today; but do not vote for H.R. 3523. It violates the ``do no harm'' rule and would set back the privacy rights of all our citizens who have enjoyed the establishment of the Internet.

This fatally flawed bill is opposed by not only every major privacy or civil liberties group, from the ACLU to the Constitution Project to the Center for Democracy and Technology, but also the Obama administration. For these reasons, Madam Chair, I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 3523.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of World War II Veteran and Civil Rights Activist, Pastor Johnnie Roland Sr., as he celebrates his 90th birthday. Born the son of sharecroppers, Pastor Roland was drafted into the United States Army on November 28, 1942.

Johnnie Roland Sr. was born and remains a lifelong resident of Coffeeville, Mississippi. He married the late Leida Rounsaville Roland and from this union, 14 children were born. His oldest and only son, Johnnie Roland Jr., served in the Vietnam War.

Johnnie Roland served in World War II from 1943 to 1945. Roland and three others from Yalobusha County, Mississippi, Tommy Dudley, Walter Lee Martin, and Ulysses Kee were inducted into the Army at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

After about eleven months of ammunition training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, he and the 619th Ordnance Ammunition Company, shipped out of New York City and arrived in Liverpool, England. On June 6, 1944, Roland boarded a landing craft late in the day and remained anchored in the English Channel surrounded by danger on all sides. There he waited to land on the Normandy Beach, about 3 days after D Day.

For the next several months he advanced through France, Belgium, and Germany loading and unloading ammunition on and near the front lines of battle. On November 29, 1945, he was honorably discharged from Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Roland was awarded the Nameto Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal for his superior performance and dedication in the United States Army.

After his honorable discharge from the United States Army, Roland returned to Mississippi. Pastor Roland answered his call to ministry in 1960, and served as pastor of the Pine Grove Baptist Church from 1962 until August 2009. Pastor Roland was very active in the Civil Rights Movement working with other local advocates to integrate the local segregated school systems, marching front line in sometimes very hostile situations.

During the boycott of the local school system, Pastor Roland was one of a very few who stood strong by keeping his children out of school for one whole year. Eventually, the school systems were integrated and he was able to see his children receive a quality education within an integrated public school system. Pastor Roland's most recent accomplishment is his eight year service on the Coffeeville Board of Alderman.

According to Pastor Roland, though he has accomplished many things within his lifetime, his greatest has been the honor to vote for and see America's first African American President, Barack Obama elected into office.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pastor Johnnie Roland Sr., a decorated World War II Veteran and Civil Rights Activist for his dedication and service to this country and the state of Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Mississippi Poultry Association as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary. Poultry is Mississippi's largest agricultural commodity. To date, the poultry industry has more than a $6 billion impact on the state's economy. With 20 processing facilities and approximately 2,000 growers, the Mississippi poultry industry employs roughly, 56,000 people both directly and indirectly.

The Mississippi Poultry Association was formed in 1937 as the Mississippi Poultry Improvement Association to help battle poultry diseases and promote the development of the industry in the State of Mississippi. The Mississippi's poultry industry is comprised of growers, feed mills, hatcheries, processing plants, laboratories, and company headquarters.

Mississippi ranks fifth in the nation in poultry production. Mississippi companies process about 757 million birds per year, 250 times the human population of the state, and 400 million table eggs per year. The industry has grown from a few family-owned feed and seed stores who sold chickens and farmers who raised chickens, mostly into an integrated global industry with about 12 percent of broiler production exported around the globe.

Mississippi poultry companies support their communities. The Mississippi Poultry Association helped initiate the Emerging Crops Loan program passed by the legislature that has made it easier for many more farmers to enter the poultry industry and has worked closely with institutions of higher learning and government agencies such as Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the Board of Animal Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, Mississippi poultry companies donate thousands of pounds of their products annually to fight hunger and to aid and develop their communities. I ask that you and our colleagues join me in recognizing the Mississippi Poultry Association in observance of their 75th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a pillar of the community, the Mount Herald Missionary Baptist Church. Mt. Herald M. B. Church served as a catalyst during the civil rights movement in Sharkey County, Mississippi.

The Church was organized in 1908, under the leadership of the late Rev. B. S. Scott. Over the years physical structure was built under the leadership of Rev. B. C. Cook and the new foundation was laid by Rev. G. P. Phillips in 1924.

During the Civil Rights era, the Mt. Herald M. B. Church was used as one of the many safe houses for the brave men and women who stood up for the rights of African Americans in the segregated South, including the Mississippi Delta. These brave warriors gave their lives for the rights that we now have as African Americans.

Before the states were ordered to end all segregated school systems the Mount Herald M. B. Church was used as the first high school for African American students in the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community.

On April 4, 2003, the Mt. Herald M. B. Church family purchased the property located at 140 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street, in Rolling Fork, Mississippi so they could accommodate the growth of the church family and continue their mission for the good of all mankind. The Mount Herald Church is truly a church fill with members who are truly making a difference in the community. The Mount Herald Missionary Baptist Church is currently under the leadership of Pastor Gregory D. Young.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that our colleagues join me on this 9th anniversary of acquisition of the Mt. Herald Missionary Baptist Church to honor its exemplary service and dedication to the state of Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary civil rights activist, Mr. Hezekiah Watkins. Mr. Watkins is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated from Lanier High School and continued his education at Utica Junior College, Southern Illinois University and East Tennessee State University.

Mr. Watkins became a lifelong proponent of justice after his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1961, the ``Freedom Fighters'' banned together in Jackson, Mississippi to demonstrate against state segregation laws, and for doing so, 328 people were arrested with the charge ``breach of peace.'' At the age of 13, Mr. Watkins was the youngest to be arrested and sent to Parchman Prison during the Freedom Riders movement. He continued his involvement in Mississippi's fight for civil rights, and as a result was arrested over 100 times more in years to follow. These experiences caused him to commit to improving the quality of life and opportunities for young African American youth and all of mankind.

Mr. Watkins began his career as a young entrepreneur and took on full time employment with Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center and Hinds County Human Recourses Agency.

He is currently employed with the Jackson Medical Mall and owner of the Corner Food Market and Deli in Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Watkins continues his activism for justice as a community leader who promotes community and civic involvement in Mississippi's African American youth.

Mr. Watkins has been married for the past 23 years to the former Chris Tanner. Together, they delight in the joys of three children, Marvin, Quentin, and Kristi. They also have four grandchildren, Quentin II, Brandon, Corey and Mason.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Hezekiah Watkins for his dedication and service as a Civil Rights advocate and pioneer during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable civil rights advocate and public servant, Dr. George Alvin ``G.A.'' Johnson. Dr. Johnson earned his Doctorate of Divinity in 1979 from the Trinity Church Association in Shreveport, Louisiana.

He was born in Massies Mill, Virginia to the parents of Samuel and Virginia Johnson on January 29, 1944. In 1963, after moving from Massies Mill to Washington, D.C. he stood on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. As a young nineteen year old with an impressionable mind, Dr. King's speech became a defining moment in Dr. Johnson's life.

In 1970, seven years after Dr. King's infamous ``I Have a Dream'' speech, Johnson moved to Rollilng Fork, Mississippi to take an active part in the civil rights movement. His first active role was in a position that was both admired and feared was becoming President of the Voter's League in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. As President, Dr. Johnson began to experience the indoctrination practices of the ``traditions of the south.''

After leaving his position as the President of the Voter's League in Rolling Fork, he took a position as manager of ``Freedom Village.'' ``Freedom Village'' was one of the many strike cities that began emerging throughout Mississippi, as African Americans walked off plantations in protest of Jim Crow laws and unfair sharecropping practices, Dr. Johnson was also manager of one of the first self-help housing projects in the Mississippi Delta.

In 1971 Dr. Johnson moved to Greenville, Mississippi and became active in Delta Ministries sponsored by the Council of Churches of New York, New York. In 1976, he extended his ministry to television airing on WABG Channel 6 in Greenwood for 27 years. In 1988, Dr. Johnson founded GAIN, INC. (Goals, Aims, Intention Network) which stemmed from his prison ministry at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, known as Parchman Farm located in Sunflower County, Mississippi. He now resides in Charleson, Mississippi where he continues to be an advocate for children, the poor, the disadvantaged, and the displaced.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. George Alvin Johnson for his dedication and service as a civil rights advocate and pioneer during the 1960s civil rights movement in the great state of Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an institution noted for its resounding leadership, the Greenville Industrial College of Greenville, Mississippi.

Greenville Industrial College was founded in 1904 by Greenville native, Reverend Dr. A.B. Bolden. Dr. Bolden, along with other community pioneers purchased the land for the Greenville Industrial College from Dr. E.P. Brown and his family in the early 20th century.

The two-story brick building was located in the African-American community of ``Brown's Addition'', named after Dr. E.P. Brown. It was under the leadership of Dr. Bolden that the first chapter of this dynamic organization's history began.

The mission of the Greenville Industrial College is to provide African-American students with the necessary skills to make a successful transition to post secondary education or work, and to prepare these students to successfully compete in a global market. Since the 1900s, the college has offered career and technology programs which include theology, masonry, carpentry and machinery.

The college has produced many prominent members of society which include the famous Bishop Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, Willie Richardson of the National Football League Baltimore Colts, and Walter Jake Turnbull, founder of the Harlem Boys Choir.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Greenville Industrial College for its remarkable work in developing our citizens, our economy, and the great state of Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man of great valor and integrity, Mr. Billy Clay. In October 2004, Mr. Clay founded The Greenwood Mentoring Group at the Jessie B. Henderson-Inez Beck Learning Center in the city of Greenwood, Mississippi. The Mentoring Group opens its doors five days a week to provide after school tutoring to neighborhood youth. The program has helped to increase the academic success and self-esteem of many youth in Greenwood, Mississippi and surrounding areas.

For more than 30 years, Mr. Clay has rendered countless hours of service to the young people throughout the Greenwood community. Not only is Mr. Clay a pillar within his community but is a little league baseball coach. As a role model, he plays a pivotal role in raising awareness on the various issues facing their community. He continues to be a strong voice for the community as he facilitates outreach in the community among sororities, fraternities, and other community organizations to make a positive and lasting impression in the lives of Greenwood community youth. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join in congratulating Mr. Billy Clay for his service to the Greenwood community.