Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of State Senator Vernon Malone, who passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2009. In his passing, I lost a friend and North Carolina lost one of its most outstanding citizens; a man who was instrumental in his community, county, and state.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Senator Malone was known for his passionate support for education. After graduating from Shaw University, where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Malone worked for 34 years as a teacher and eventually superintendent at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. As chairman of the Wake County school board, he presided over the merger of Raleigh city schools and Wake County public schools in 1976. This was a significant achievement because it took other school systems in the state years to do the same. When others shied away from issues of race and class, Senator Malone tackled them head-on.

After his work with the school board, Vernon served as a Wake County Commissioner, and eventually as chairman of the Commission, from 1980 until his election to the State Senate in 2002. As always, he fought fervently for education and for equality. He also found time to serve his community in his spare time, serving as vice-chair of Shaw University's board of

trustees; as a trustee for North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Wake Education Partnership; as Chairman of the Wake County Coalition for the Homeless; and as a director of Capital Bank, a community bank headquartered in Raleigh.

Most recently, Vernon served in the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 14th Senate district and was reelected three times. In the State Senate, he continued to work on education. He was co-chairman of the Senate's Higher Education Committee and Appropriations Committee for Higher Education.

Vernon Malone rose to prominence during a time when prejudice ran high. Rather than succumb to intolerance, he was able to rise above it. I am glad that he was able to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama earlier this year. It was Vernon and his contemporaries who made it possible for our nation to eventually elect an African American President.

Madam Speaker, Senator Vernon Malone had a commitment to excellence in everything he did. He was a respected legislator, a dedicated public servant, and a great North Carolinian. It is fitting that we honor him and his family today.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, H. Con. Res. 85 builds on the work this Congress has started on to get our economy back on track, address the current crisis, and build for future needs.

Just so folks will understand, a budget in Congress is not like the budget we think about. It really is a framework. It's a blueprint.

I'm sure my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about all the things that are in it, but what they don't say is this doesn't do any of the things they are talking about. We'd like for our friends across the aisle to join us. This really should not be a partisan issue. The issue of getting our economy on track shouldn't be partisan. The issue of investing in education for our children's future shouldn't be a partisan issue. The issue of fixing health care for the American people, in my home State one of the largest numbers of people unemployed are in North Carolina because our unemployment rate right now is fourth in the Nation. These people don't care who gets it for them. They want health care fixed. And certainly I remember $4 a gallon of gasoline that got us where we are. We need to fix that.

This bill lays out a plan to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds by 2013 and create jobs with investments in those areas I have just talked about: health care, clean energy, and in education.

And, yes, reconciliation is about getting a budget in balance. That's what the Democrats have used it for, what we used it for last time. And I think it's appropriate when it's used that way. But I will remind you that a budget is more than just a document. It is a statement of our Nation's priorities and our values. And this budget is about that. It's about the future. It's about the people's needs, and it's about creating jobs with investments and reform in health care, clean energy, and education to make sure that we are prepared for the 21st century economy.

Our efforts in this budget are about protecting families. And it's really about three things and three things only: jobs, jobs, jobs. We have to remember that. At the end of the day, there are a lot of people in this country who are looking to us to help. Yes, the business community needs our help, and we are going to try to do it. It takes the first step in restoring America's financial strength. And we will get there by growing our economy in areas like health care, education, and energy, which will pave the way for a sustained recovery and get our people back to work and our economy back on track. And, yes, I am very pleased that this budget makes room for those areas. But it makes room for critical investment in education in the future of our children and not just children but for those who want to go to college and, yes, for those who want to go back to school and make a difference as the economy changes and get an education so that they can make a way for their family.

I would encourage you to vote for this resolution and vote against the motion to instruct.

As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I am particularly pleased that the budget prioritizes education and innovation. In recent months, first with the economic recovery legislation and then as we finished the 2009 appropriations process, Congress devoted significant funding to education to create quality jobs now and in the future. This budget resolution provides a blueprint to follow through on these priorities.

Education is the key to economic growth, future success, and access to opportunity for our citizens, and this Budget Resolution makes a clear statement that education is a top priority.

We are a nation of great resources that has proven time and again that we are the world leader in innovation and progress. With time, and with continued effort, we will break with the failed policies of the recent past and restore our strength and global competitiveness.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1256, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This legislation is good for our children. It keeps tobacco out of our children's hands and restricts advertising directed at young people. This legislation also works to ensure the quality and relative safety of tobacco products, in spite of their known dangers to human health.

As a Member of this body who represents a tobacco growing area, I worked to ensure that this is balanced legislation. This is not a perfect bill, but it does represent an approach that considers the impact on those whose livelihoods depend on farming tobacco. North Carolina is the largest tobacco producing state in the Nation and my district is in the top three of overall production. We cannot simply ignore the economic impact that this crop represents to our state, and in this legislation we have not done so.

Tobacco remains a legal product, but we need to protect our Nation's children from its effects. H.R. 1256 puts in place uniform marketing standards and controls, as well as ensuring that the marketing is straightforward, and that the ingredients are properly disclosed.

While this bill will go a long way in protecting our Nation's children from tobacco, it allows our Nation's tobacco farmers to continue their way of life. As the Chairman has assured me in our colloquy on the House floor, this legislation will keep FDA off the farm.

I urge my colleague's to protect our Nation's children and support our Nation's farmers. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 1256.

Madam Speaker, you know, a budget's more than just a document. It really is a statement of our Nation's priorities and values. And the underlying bill that we're talking about builds on the work this Congress has done to put our economy back on track and provide jobs for our people and invest in the current economic crisis of building for future needs.

The bill lays out a plan to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds, creates jobs and investments, reforms health care, and provides for clean energy and education.

As a former school chief in my home State, I'm particularly pleased that the budget prioritizes education and innovation, a critical foundation piece for building a future.

In recent months, we have seen the economy start to recover as we put things in place. We'll see that in the months to come.

But let me just share a personal story. Just this past week I was at a middle school, Meadow Middle School in Johnson County, met with a bunch of students who will be the first in their family to go to college. That's what this is all about. We're building for the future. These youngsters start in middle school making a decision where they're going. Never has a member of their family been to college. That's what we're about here today.

Certainly we can argue the details, but, you know, let's keep our focus on what it's about. It's about the people of America, those who've lost their jobs, some who've lost hope. But we can give hope to the next generation. We can provide a foundation for building jobs, and we can get our economy moving again. But we have to do it together.

This budget resolution is a step in that direction of building a strong future for America and making a difference--for the leadership position in the world.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 85 (H. Con. Res. 85). This resolution builds on the work of this Congress to put our economy back on track, addressing the current crisis and building for future needs.

A budget is more than just a document, it is a statement of our priorities. This is an especially important budget and comes as our nation faces a number of challenges in our struggling economy. Across the country, millions of families are facing foreclosure or have lost their jobs, savings, or access to health care. We have seen the failure of many of our financial institutions, and a lack of credit that is necessary for our small businesses to grow. In my own state of North Carolina, the unemployment rate has risen to a historic high of 10.7 percent.

This budget begins to reverse the Bush Administration's failed policies and restore America's economic strength. H. Con. Res. 85 invests in priorities like health care, education, and energy independence to create jobs and get our economy back on track. As the former Superintendent of Schools in North Carolina, I know that the best investment we can make is in our children. I am pleased that H. Con. Res. 85 strongly supports early learning, including the President's initiatives to help strengthen and expand early childhood education and school meals initiatives. This budget also makes college more affordable and accessible by increasing Pell grants and providing additional assistance to help more low-income high school graduates attend and complete college. Education is the key to economic growth, future success, and access to opportunity for our citizens.

The legacy left by the previous administration includes mounting debt and economic decline and we must return to a fiscally sustainable path. In addition to education, this budget makes investments in health care, energy independence, and other areas in a fiscally responsible way. This budget cuts the deficit in half over four years and bolsters PAYGO, the rule requiring Congress to find revenue to offset spending proposals. As a Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, I am also pleased that this budget supports $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for low and middle income families.

This Budget Resolution provides a strong blueprint for our economic future. I support H. Con. Res. 85, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

I thank the gentleman. I would like to engage the chairman in a colloquy to address the issue of FDA and tobacco farmers.

I represent one of the largest tobacco-producing districts in the Nation, so naturally I have a lot of farmers who are very concerned about how they might be affected by this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, my question to you is, does this bill in any way authorize the FDA to regulate tobacco farms?

I thank you for that.

And does the bill specifically state that FDA's regulatory authority would only apply to manufactured tobacco products and not the traditional production and harvest methods on the farm?

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Waxman, I thank you for that, and I thank you for the clarification that this is a bill intended to protect our children and not to regulate tobacco farmers. Tobacco is a critical crop in North Carolina's economy and has been for a long time. I look forward to continuing to working with you to help North Carolina farmers preserve their jobs and their livelihood.

Madam Chair, I support this budget and, in particular, the significant investment it makes in education. We must invest in education if our workers are going to be able to compete in the 21st century global economy. However, I share my friend Mr. Boyd's concerns about ending guaranteed student loans. This would threaten hundreds of jobs in North Carolina. It would also cut off access to the valuable services some of the lenders provide that help students pay for, apply to and pay for college.

In North Carolina, we have a unique situation where a State nonprofit provides significant benefits to students in addition to providing the loans. I am concerned that the legislation will have the unintended consequences of reducing the benefits that students receive from our nonprofit lenders.

We should take steps to preserve the good things done by guaranteed agencies to improve college access and affordability and to keep loan defaults low even if Federal Family Loans are reduced.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 85, the budget resolution for FY 2010.

H. Con. Res. 85 builds on the work of this Congress to put our economy back on track, addressing the current crisis and building for future needs. This bill lays out a plan to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds by 2013, and creates jobs with investments and reforms in health care, clean energy, and education.

A budget is more than just a document, it is a statement of our nation's priorities and values.

As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I am particularly pleased that the budget prioritizes education and innovation. In recent months, first with the economic recovery legislation and then as we finished the 2009 appropriations process, Congress devoted significant funding to education to create quality jobs now and in the future. This budget resolution provides a blueprint to follow through on these priorities.

I have always believed that education is the most important investment we can make for our future prosperity. In the current economic downturn, it is even more critical that we ensure our workforce is able to compete in the 21st century global marketplace.

This resolution reverses the previous Administration's neglect of education and provides significant and needed investments in our nation's schools. It reflects the fact that education is a lifetime activity, spanning from early childhood to post-secondary education and technical training.

The resolution strongly supports early learning, including the President's initiatives to help strengthen and expand early childhood education programs. It increases child nutrition funding, paying for school meals because a hungry child just cannot be successful in school.

At the other end of the spectrum, this resolution builds on Congress' recent efforts to help students afford and complete college.

Education is the key to economic growth, future success, and access to opportunity for our citizens, and this Budget Resolution makes a clear statement that education is a top priority. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Justin and Sally Haddock on the birth of their daughter, Avery Hart Haddock. Avery was born on Thursday, March 19, 2009. She weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 19.5 inches. My wife Faye joins me in wishing Justin and Sally, and Avery's grandparents Tommy and Donna Haddock, great happiness upon this new addition to their family.

As the father of three, I know the joy and pride that Justin and Sally feel at this special time. Children remind us of the incredible miracle of life, and they keep us young-at-heart. Every day they show us a new way to view the world. I know the Haddocks look forward to the changes and challenges that their new daughter will bring to their lives while taking pleasure in the many rewards they are sure to receive as they watch Avery grow.

I welcome young Avery into the world and wish Justin and Sally all the best.

Madam Speaker, due to an illness in my family, I was unable to be in attendance on the floor of the House on March 12, 2009, and unable to record my vote on H.R. 1262.

Had I been able to cast my vote on this bill I would have voted in strong support of the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009. H.R. 1262 is a comprehensive bill that will result in a total investment in our nation's water infrastructure of $18.7 billion over five years, this legislation will fund the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and provide $13.8 billion in Federal grants over five years to the Clean Water SRF to provide low-interest loans to communities for wastewater infrastructure.

Our nation's wastewater infrastructure is deteriorating and in dire need of repair. In many regions of the country, sewer systems and water infrastructure facilities were built in a different era and for much smaller populations. Many water systems have reached the end of their useful life or have been completely overwhelmed from increased use. H.R. 1262 goes a long way towards renewing the federal commitment to addressing our nation's substantial needs for water infrastructure to ensure that communities across the country have safe drinking water and effective wastewater treatment facilities.

I am pleased that this legislation has passed the House and I only regret that I was not able to be present to cast my vote in support. In addition to voting ``yes'' on Rollcall No. 123, I would have voted ``no'' on Rollcall No. 122, against the Mack Amendment to the bill, which would have removed prevailing wage provisions from the bill. I also would have voted ``yes'' on Rollcall No. 124, H. Res. 224, supporting the designation of March 14, 2009 as Pi Day.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing this bill forward, we are all outraged, as we should be. It affects every American. The fact that they are using public money to pay bonuses should enrage everyone.

Taxpayer funds should not be used to reward the individuals whose excessive risk-taking caused the financial crisis that has harmed the livelihood of my constituents in North Carolina, people across America and people around the world.

We ought to be outraged. We ought to be together on this. There shouldn't be a division on this issue. There is room for that on others. We should not reward Wall Street traders who have done this, at the expense of people, not just people on Main Street, to people who live on rural roads all across this country.

Mr. Speaker, you know, we voted for this package originally to put money in banks, to lend to people, to buy cars, to save for homes, to pay for college education, to do the things that make a difference and help America grow. And here we are today taking care of the very scoundrels that got us into this mess.

I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

If AIG will not halt these bonuses, and if its employees will not voluntarily turn them down, then this bill will ensure that the money is returned to the taxpayers. I regret having to use the tax code in this manner, but the blatant abuse of taxpayer dollars by AIG leaves us with no other choice. This bill will send a message not only to AIG, but to other companies receiving taxpayer aid that this behavior is unacceptable.

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

Across our country, millions of responsible homeowners are facing foreclosure. Some reports indicate there could be up to 6 million families currently in danger of losing their homes. Although the foreclosure crisis has not been as pronounced in my state as in some others, North Carolina has seen one of the fastest rises in unemployment in the country, with a rate of 8.2% earlier this year. These job losses will risk damaging neighborhoods and towns across the state by placing more families at risk of defaulting on mortgages. H.R. 1106 will ensure that lending institutions work with borrowers to help keep Americans in their homes to strengthen the housing market, which is critical for our nation's economic recovery.

H.R. 1106 takes steps to address this crisis and help families across the country. This bill will help millions of struggling homeowners refinance or restructure their mortgages. H.R. 1106 reforms the Hope for Homeowners initiative by lowering fees and providing $1,000 to servicers that participate. This will make the initiative more attractive to lenders and more effective in reaching the many families seeking help. H.R. 1106 provides ``safe harbor'' for mortgage lenders so that they can modify mortgages without the threat of lawsuits from the secondary mortgage market. In addition, this bill would protect consumers' savings by permanently increasing the amount of federal deposit insurance savings in banks or credit unions from $100,000 to $250,000.

H.R. 1106 also contains a provision that would allow for the modification of some mortgages under the terms of Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Current law allows for a bankruptcy judge to adjust the principal on all secured loans except for those on primary residences. Provisions in H.R. 1106 ensure that people can afford their mortgage. The bill also stipulates that judicial modification should only be employed as a last resort for saving a family's home. Only existing mortgage loans are eligible, and a judge is required to consider whether all other options are exhausted before changing the principal of a home loan. Finally, this bill ensures that if a borrower gets relief through this mortgage relief initiative and then sells their home for a profit, the lender is able to recoup a sizable portion of that profit. This is a key provision to incentivize lenders to work with at-risk borrowers who are seeking help through mortgage modification initiatives.

In order to get our struggling economy back on track, we must address the foreclosure crisis, one of the main factors that precipitated this recession. Not only are foreclosures devastating to individual families, but their effect ripples throughout the economy, hurting manufacturers and construction firms, dropping consumer spending and confidence, and cutting the value of neighboring homes. H.R. 1106 is an important step to deal with this crisis.

I support H.R. 1106, Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1105, the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. This bill completes Congress' work funding essential government services for 2009 and invests in important priorities to get our economy back on track. H.R. 1105 provides for the needs of North Carolina's most vulnerable citizens and will help our State make the investments it needs to make for a brighter future.

As the former superintendent of schools in North Carolina, I am particularly pleased that this bill continues our commitment to educational opportunities for all Americans. Economists tell us that strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive. This bill builds on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support state and local community efforts to improve schools, and on the efforts of individuals and families to provide a better life for their children. H.R. 1105 provides $66.5 billion for the Department of Education, a 7 percent increase over last year. In these times when state budgets are stretched to the limit, it increases the federal share of special education costs and increases Title I grants for disadvantaged students to ensure our local communities are able to continue to help our most vulnerable students. It provides increases to student financial aid to help 1.4 million students go to school, and helps 6.9 million families pay for college with an increase in the maximum Pell Grant to $4,360. It provides additional funding for Head Start, gives child care assistance to 11,000 more children, and provides 1.7 million with quality afterschool services that supplement their school activities. These are fundamental investments that provide the key to the future for our nation's children.

This bill makes many other critical investments to address our immediate needs while laying the foundation for our long-term prosperity. H.R. 1105 provides $15.3 billion for the Labor Department, providing critical job training, unemployment, and workforce protection

services to our working families. It appropriates a total of $496 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including critical support for Medicare and Medicaid. It includes $108 billion for the Department of Agriculture, including a 15 percent increase in funding for rural development. It appropriates $57.9 billion for Commerce, Justice, and the science agencies, including a 16 percent increase for state and local law enforcement activities. By improving support for research and development at our nation's universities, federal laboratories, and small business incubators, funding in H.R. 1105 creates jobs and contributes to U.S. competitiveness. Finally, this bill invests in energy security with a 12 percent increase in funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives, which will help us reduce our dependence on foreign fuel sources.

This bill is not just about spending. H.R. 1105 also cuts and eliminates government programs that are not working, and provides accountability and oversight through improvements in regulatory agencies. In these difficult economic times, it is more important than ever that we wisely invest the tax dollars that have been entrusted to us, and this bill is a sound investment in our future.

Mr. Speaker, Congress has a solemn duty to pass a funding bill that honors the values of the American people. By addressing America's domestic needs, providing for our foreign obligations, and investing in the future, H.R. 1105 reflects these values. I support H.R. 1105, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of John D. Dingell's distinguished service in the House of Representatives, and in support of H. Res. 154. As many of the other speakers have noted, we do not just honor him for this longevity in this institution, but for what he has done while he has served here. For more than 50 years, he has represented the interests of working Americans from across this country, and particularly from his home district in Michigan. He has been a strong defender of rights: a strong voice for civil rights and civil liberties, and a leader in environmental protection. He has brought his intellect and passion to bear to address the challenge of health care access, helping establish Medicare in 1965, the Children's Health Insurance Program in 1997, and many other health initiatives since and between. He understands the urgency that remains on this issue, and I can think of no person better positioned to make expanding health coverage for all Americans a reality.

One of the things I really respect about John, beyond his commitment and dedication to this country, is his honesty. When he says something, his word is his bond. It says a lot about this institution when the Dean of the House is reliable like that, and whether he is with you or against you know where you stand. I have appreciated working alongside him throughout my own service in this distinguished House.

I salute Congressman Dingell's long commitment to public service, his impressive record of accomplishment, and his defense of working Americans. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his service by voting for H. Res. 154.

I thank the gentleman for the time to speak in support of this bill. I thank you for your leadership and for this economic recovery bill, on the issues that are in it, but also on school construction.

I thank Mr. Rangel, who's been a tireless advocate for investment in our future economy. He and I have been proud to be able to be partners in authorizing the America's Better Classroom Act, which we are finally going to enact into law in this piece of legislation.

For more than 12 years we have been working to improve our Nation's schools and opportunities for the future. The idea that we created, to put the Federal Government into partnership with our local school districts to create private sector jobs and improve schools, was a perfect fit for the needs of our troubled economy. And I am proud that it is included in this final piece of legislation.

I strongly support the conference report for H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which takes needed steps to restore our economy. This bill provides urgently needed relief to struggling individuals and businesses, and will create or save 3.5 million jobs in this country.

Hundreds of thousands of these jobs will be created by the $25 billion in school construction bond tax credits in this piece of legislation. And they will be created quickly. Hundreds of school building projects have been stalled or delayed in this economic downturn. Chairman Rangel and I have introduced the ABC Act to help school districts get the funding that they need.

Everything I have achieved in life is due to my educational opportunities, the ones that I was given by my friends and neighbors. I want today's generation to have similar opportunities. High-quality schools, with strong teachers and modern facilities, are the key to the future.

Students can't prepare for the 21st century economy in schools from the 20th century that are crumbling, deteriorated, and overcrowded. In today's economic downturn, we have a chance to change this. I urge your vote on this.

In today's economic downturn, we must give our students every tool we can to compete in the global economy. The new school construction enabled by this bill is a good step in that direction. School construction creates jobs today, and provides the foundation for jobs for the future. I am proud that the tax credits in this bill will give local school districts support to improve their schools and the education they provide.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this conference agreement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report for H.R. 1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This legislation will start to address the most critical needs of our flagging economy by providing relief to struggling individuals and small businesses, while creating and saving 3.5 million jobs across America.

These are challenging times for families in North Carolina and across the nation. Each month it seems that we get more bad news, or hit a new record on an economic indicator. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the unemployment rate was at a 34-year high of 7.6 percent. The increase in the last quarter is the largest since the end of World War II. This increase in the jobless rate is hitting every region, and every state, but North Carolina is particularly hard-hit. We are one of the top five states in terms of month-over-month increases, and one of the top three in increases since last year. Here in North Carolina, unemployment is 8.7 percent. In addition to the unemployed, there are many more workers who are seeing their hours and wages cut.

I have heard from North Carolinians from across the Second District about the need for swift action. H.R. 1 addresses the need by making investments in our economy that will produce new jobs while providing tax relief for 95 percent of Americans. With 3.6 million jobs lost in the past year, the 3.5 million jobs created by this bill will put us on track to an economic recovery.

Some of these jobs will be created, and created quickly, by the $25 billion in school construction bond tax credits in this bill which I have worked on with Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel for more than 12 years. The tax credits will create more than 11,000 jobs in North Carolina alone. This funding will allow work to start on stalled and delayed school building projects and address overcrowding and deteriorating schools. The jobs created by making these investments in our future will invigorate our economy today, and provide a strong foundation for the working families of the future. I am proud that the tax credits in this bill will give local school districts support to improve their schools and the education they provide.

As the former Superintendant of Schools in North Carolina, I have a special understanding of the needs of our students, and I am pleased that H.R. 1 includes significant investments in education. In addition to the ABCs Act tax credits, the bill includes $39.5 billion to help schools modernize their facilities and prevent layoffs or cutbacks to essential educational services. It provides $25 billion to support our most vulnerable students through Title I and IDEA, and $4 billion for early childhood education to ensure that kids have the right start on the path to learning. This package also invests in higher education with a new tax credit for individuals seeking a college education and a $500 increase to Pell Grants. We must give the next generation the tools to support learning throughout their lives, to enable them to compete in our 21st Century economy.

To jump start our economy and turn the tide on unemployment, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 makes investments to create or save 3.5 million jobs. At the same time, it provides a down payment on our most important national priorities. H.R. 1 will also get the stagnant economy moving again supporting targeted infrastructure investments to improve bridges and roads, modernize public buildings, and expand mass transit. H.R. 1 also strategically invests in America's ``green sector,'' supporting alternative and environmentally-friendly energy, like the biofuels we grow and produce in North Carolina, and new technology that creates energy from waste products. It also expands energy tax provisions like the Production Tax Credit and Clean Renewable Energy Bonds while providing the funds we need to transform our energy distribution system and weatherize and modernize our homes and public buildings to increase efficiency.

Millions of Americans will see their taxes reduced by H.R. 1, and others will receive support in making purchases that help our economy. More than 95 percent of the nation's taxpayers will see an increase in their take-home pay through the ``Making Work Pay'' tax credit, $400 for individuals and $800 for working families. H.R. 1 will prevent 26 million families from being subjected to the Alternative Minimum Tax. It also includes relief for Americans that will spur our economy by providing an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home-buyers.

In addition, the small businesses that form the backbone of our economy will get relief under the recovery package. H.R. 1 includes bonus depreciation to help them invest in new equipment, loss carry back to help them weather reduced sales, a delay of the 3% withholding tax on payments to businesses

that sell goods or services to governments, and a cut in the capital gains tax cut for investors in small businesses who hold stock for more than five years. It also provides incentives for businesses that create new jobs.

For those suffering in the economic downturn, this bill provides temporary support to help struggling families make ends meet and help workers train and find jobs. It extends and improves unemployment benefits, increases food stamps and food support, and provides aid to seniors, disabled veterans, and Social Security recipients. It extends Trade Adjustment Assistance for displaced workers, and extends and improves local job training, job placement, and vocational rehabilitation initiatives. This spending quickly makes its way into the economy, and will help those most in need.

Our country is facing difficult times, and though we have many challenges to meet, this package is a bold step in the right direction. I support H.R. 1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with respect and admiration to honor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the occasion of it's 100th anniversary, and support H. Con. Res. 35. The struggle for racial equality has been and continues to be one of the greatest testaments of America's progress throughout its history. The NAACP was founded February 12, 1909 to ensure that the voices of all people of color are heard. The NAACP has a strong legacy of pioneers such as W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Mary McLeod Bethune, Mary White Ovington, Joel Elias Spingarn and Roy Wilkins, along with the countless others of diverse ethnicities who have worked tirelessly to fulfill the NAACP's mission. Through tireless work and often great personal sacrifice, the members and leadership of the NAACP have fought for justice, to ensure political, educational, social and economic rights for all peoples. While there is still significant work to be done, these efforts have helped to mold the America we have today.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 35, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.