Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Rabbi Sholom Stern, Tali Dahari, Kenneth S. Fink, Dr. Jacqueline H. Simons, Mrs. Susan Sachs and the Brandeis School for their remarkable contributions to both education and community. The 79th Brandeis School Campaign Celebration will honor each of these dedicated and selfless individuals, commemorating their tireless work toward educating our youth. In helping students become well-informed and responsible community members and citizens, both the Brandeis School and these talented honorees are deserving of recognition.

Rabbi Sholom Stern will receive the Lion of Judah Award for his continued commitment to meaningful Judaic studies. Rabbi Stern's sustained and sturdy efforts help the congregation, community and school flourish. Mrs. Dahari will receive the Etz Chaim Tree of Life Award for her tireless efforts in connection with the Brandeis School, where for over 15 years she has persistently been a guiding light to students and parents alike. Mrs. Dahari's contribution as Publicity Chair has made an especially positive impact on the school as a whole and is proud to be a parent of the school as well. Mr. Fink and Dr. Simons will both receive the L'Dor Va'Dor Parents of the Year Award for their noble commitment to both the Brandeis School's mission and to its student body. From generation to generation, these alumni parents and their families have given selflessly to the school as both Mr. Fink and Dr. Simons are now proud to send their own children to the Brandeis School as well. Mrs. Susan Sachs will receive the Aishet Chayil Award for her determined devotion to both the Brandeis School and its Parent's Association. Mrs. Sachs has certainly been a woman of valor, serving the school in multiple fashions including her work as the Parent's Association President. Mrs. Sachs is also proud to send her children to the Brandeis School. All of these individuals help to foster an environment in which students at the Brandeis School can learn and prosper, toward those efforts they are especially deserving of recognition.

In guiding a student body of 350 students in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, these honorees give of their time and abilities to a cause greater than themselves. The education of our youth will forever be a central and vital aspect of our society. Giving to children the opportunity to learn and achieve will continue to encourage our youth to explore their own gifts, talents and abilities in a safe, supportive learning environment. Toward this end, these esteemed individuals have continuously given of themselves in a selfless, fruitful manner.

The work of these honorees is surely inspiring to us all, and I am immensely grateful to them for all that they have accomplished. I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing the gratitude of the U.S. Congress for their extensive contributions to society.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the students, faculty and staff of the Barack Obama Elementary School for the official renaming of the former Ludlum Elementary School. I am pleased to see that the first school in the Nation to bear the name of our 44th President is in my Congressional District.

The Nation faces a monumental moment in history with the election of our country's first African-American President. At the request of the students and to honor this milestone, on November 20, 2008, Ludlow Elementary School was officially renamed Barack Obama Elementary School. I commend the students for their foresight to honor an historic achievement.

As a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I have the great privilege of learning about schools both locally and nationally. The future of this country depends on the hopes and dreams of its children. I look forward to working with the students and faculty as the Barack Obama Elementary School enters this new part of its history.

Madam Speaker, it is with pride and admiration I offer my best wishes and recognition to Barack Obama Elementary School.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 99) supporting the goals and ideals of a National Early Educator Worthy Wage Day.

Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 99 into the Record.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support House Concurrent Resolution 99, which recognizes May 1 as National Early Educator Worthy Wage Day and urges public officials and the general public to honor early childhood care staff and programs in their communities.

Early childhood educators are among the lowest paid professions in education. More and more parents are tapping into early childhood education programs to meet their daycare needs and find the best opportunities to help their children get ready for their academic careers.

We place a lot of trust in early childhood educators to take care of the most vulnerable among us and charge them with great responsibilities to care for and to educate our children. Early childhood educators are highly skilled workers who are, unfortunately, rarely compensated at levels that are consistent with their skill and work ethic.

This resolution asks Congress to honor early childhood educators and programs in their communities and to work to resolve the early childhood education staff compensation crisis. Adequate compensation to early childhood workers should be a priority and they should receive compensation consummate with such training and experience.

Every day, approximately 60 percent of children under the age of six are cared for outside the home so that their parents can work. President Obama has spoken extensively about the need to further expand early education and childcare programs, including his proposal to include an early learning challenge grant initiative to promote quality care.

The committed individuals who nurture and teach these young children are undervalued despite the importance of their work. Children begin to learn at birth, and the quality of care they receive will affect their language, development, math skills, behavior and general readiness for school.

The grossly inadequate level of wages for childcare staff, roughly $18,917 a year, has made it hard to attract and retain high quality early childhood caretakers and educators. The turnover rate for childcare providers is 30 percent a year. This high turnover rate interrupts consistent and stable relationships that children need to have with their caregivers.

I join in recognizing the importance of the work early childhood professionals do and the need to increase their compensation accordingly. The Nation's childcare work force, and the families who depend on them, deserve our support.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 99. May I say that working with early educator teachers, they are terrific, and if we are going to have a strong Nation for the future, we must give them the recognition they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues support H. Con. Res. 99.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 254, a resolution recognizing the unique and distinguished role that Irish Americans have played in the history of our nation.

They have provided the backbone of our workforce, enlivened our art and culture, defended our country, and served in this Congress and as President of the United States.

In fact, there isn't an aspect of our nation that hasn't been improved by the efforts of Irish Americans.

Today, almost one in four Americans can trace their heritage back to Ireland.

With such a large and growing population, it is guaranteed that Irish Americans will continue to have a significant impact on our country for generations to come.

I'm proud to stand today with my colleagues, those lucky enough to be Irish American, as well as those who aren't, and honor this group that has been so important to our nation.

Madam Speaker. Today, I wish to join with my friends, family, and colleagues as we remember the murder of more than 6 million Jews and others killed during the Holocaust. Their memory must be preserved and the atrocities committed by the Nazis and their accomplices must be noted in order to ensure that such crimes against humanity will never be repeated

We should also take time to remember the millions of others systematically murdered by the Nazis, including Gypsies, Poles, the handicapped, homosexuals, Jehovah's witnesses, political dissidents and prisoners of war.

This year, we recognize in particular the one and a half million children who perished during the Holocaust. It is estimated that mere thousands survived. Many of the survivors still with us today were children during the Second World War and lost many friends and relatives. Decades later, the horrors of the Holocaust are still etched in their memory and they serve as a reminder of the vulnerability of children in times of war. We must ensure that we protect those in every corner of the world that cannot defend themselves.

More than 60 years have passed since the Holocaust, yet racism and anti-Semitism still exist in the world. The troubling events from this past week's United Nations Summit on Racism in Geneva reinforce even more the need to mark this day. Iranian President Ahmadinejad's remarks remind us that we need to remain vigilant about hate and misinformation. He has repeatedly distorted facts and denied that the Holocaust even existed. As citizens of the world, we remain alert and ensure that dictators and despots are never again able to commit genocide against any people in any corner of the globe.

In honor of their memory and to protect generations to come, we must never forget.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 586, the Civil Rights Oral History Project.

I want to thank Chairman Brady and the Committee on House Administration for moving the bill to the Floor.

I also want to thank my lead co-sponsor on the bill, Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, himself a civil rights hero, for all of his help in developing and generating support for the bill.

Mr. Lewis was at the forefront of the battle to end segregation and his contribution to ensuring equality in our country cannot be overstated.

I know I speak for all of my colleagues when I say that we are honored to serve with him and grateful for all that he has done and continues to do for all Americans as a steward of justice and equal rights.

We are fortunate to serve in Congress with several other influential civil rights leaders and I would like to extend a heartfelt ``thank you'' for their sacrifices and commitment to the cause of freedom.

The fight for civil rights was one of the most significant social and cultural movements in our Nation's history.

The will of a generation to right centuries of injustice changed the world we live in forever.

The leaders of the civil rights movement displayed tremendous courage and persistence to ensure that all Americans were treated equally and with dignity regardless of their ethnic backgrounds, race or origins.

Many leaders from all walks of life put their lives on the line to make it possible for all people to live freely and have the same fundamental rights.

In my Congressional District, there are many important leaders who fought to ensure equal rights for all Long Islanders.

Brave Americans like Irving C. McKnight from Roosevelt, Mr. McNeil from Hempstead, Mrs. Iris Johnson from Freeport, Fred Brewington and Sal Zaccaro from Malverne and so many others.

We can never overstate the contributions of our Nation's civil rights leaders.

Without their efforts many of the things we take for granted every day would not have come to pass.

It is vital that future generations know and understand the struggles and challenges of those that paved the way for us to live in a free Nation.

These brave Americans' stories must continue to be told to not only inspire future generations, but to remind people of what is possible in America and how far we have come.

Unfortunately, with each passing year, our Nation loses more and more of the people that played major roles in the struggle to secure equal rights for all Americans.

In recent years, we have lost great leaders like Mrs. Coretta Scott King and Mrs. Rosa Parks.

Thankfully, their stories have been well documented in the historic record, but there are many others who have already passed or whose memories are fading.

While we know so much about the lives of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, our colleague, Congressman John Lewis, and Thurgood Marshall, it is important that we learn about the everyday people of all races who took a stand during a pivotal time in our Nation's history.

There were so many people who were crucial to the civil rights movement, but have not had as much recorded about their experiences for the public record.

These were the people in many cases that were a part of some of the most significant battles in the fight for equality.

The workers in Memphis that went on strike and marched in protest with Dr. King, the students that held sit-ins at lunch counters in the south, the thousands of people that marched on Washington and witnessed the ``I Have a Dream Speech'' and the millions of Americans that stood up and worked in their own ways to make our country a better place for all people.

These people are heroes of the civil rights movement and we need to make sure that their stories are woven into the fabric of the American story.

That's why I have introduced the Civil Rights Oral History bill.

The purpose of the Civil Rights Oral History Bill is to catalogue and preserve the stories and experiences of the people who were involved with the civil rights movement.

This legislation stresses the importance of capturing the memories and deeds of the Civil Rights generation and will give us a unique insight into the experiences of the people that were really on the frontlines of the civil rights movement.

This bill will create a joint effort between the future National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Library of Congress to collect oral histories of the people that were involved in the civil rights movement and preserve their stories for future generations.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and take the time to acknowledge the contributions of those great Americans who fought to make our Nation a more fair and just place.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the MTA Long Island Rail Road, LIRR, for 175 years of service to Long Island and the surrounding metropolitan area. As a subsidiary of New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the LIRR has been an essential component to the development of Long Island communities and has served as a gateway into the economic growth of the region.

Chartered in 1834, the LIRR continues to be the oldest railroad in the United States still operating under its original name. Connecting communities stretching from Montauk, on the east end of Long Island, to Penn Station, in the heart of Manhattan, the LIRR serves 124 stations in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan; and with 700 miles of track on 11 different branches, the Long Island railroad is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving over 87 million customers annually.

Throughout its 175 years, the LIRR has been a vital component of the New York metropolitan region's transportation infrastructure, leading to the development of the Long Island communities it serves. Without the LIRR trains, more than 100,000 additional cars would use the roads into New York City each weekday.

Madam Speaker it is my pleasure to acknowledge and thank the Long Island Rail Road and wish them the best of luck in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1388, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. And I want to thank the leadership of my colleague for offering me this opportunity to speak. I want to also thank Chairman Miller for his leadership and dedication to national service after moving this important bill towards passage. I would also like to thank the full committee ranking member, Mr. McKeon, and the ranking member on my subcommittee, Mr. Platts, and I would like to thank all the staff that have worked so hard on this.

I am pleased that the Senate has moved this bill so quickly and that we are getting closer to being able to send it to President Obama for his signature. I'm also glad to see that we have renamed the bill in honor of Senator Edward Kennedy, a man who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to public service.

Last month President Obama stood in this Chamber and called on Congress to pass legislation that would inspire a new generation of service and volunteerism in our Nation. This bill answers that call. Since the bill was passed in this body 2 weeks ago, there has been a public outpouring and interest in public service and volunteerism from citizens throughout this Nation.

Public service and volunteerism provide the means through which Americans can give back to their communities while gaining the tools that they need to achieve their own goals. The Serve America Act will create a framework to help develop national service programs that will improve their communities and enrich the lives of all those who answer the call to serve.

I am pleased to see that in this compromised version of the bill before us that we retain the competition provisions in the Senior Corps program. I'm also pleased this bill permits our Silver Scholars to transfer their education awards to their children, foster children or grandchildren. The Serve America Act contains important provisions that will help strengthen communities and provide real opportunities for Americans to serve in meaningful ways.

I am proud of the focus that the bill places in providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth, strengthening mentoring programs, increasing service opportunities in cities and urban centers, vets and people with disabilities. Under the Serve America Act, volunteer and service opportunities are made available to people of all ages. This will give thousands of older Americans the opportunity to share their knowledge and skills for the benefit of their communities while offering young people guidance and support.

I am proud that this bill contains an important focus on disadvantaged youth. By providing the right types of outlets, young people coming from difficult circumstances will have a chance to lift themselves up through service. The Serve America Act will build a national infrastructure for service and volunteerism and makes an historical investment in the way our service programs are administered.

The bill focuses on building our national service participation while providing much-needed streamlining to reduce administrative burdens. This bill requires States to ensure outreach to local government such as cities and counties when preparing national service plans. Better outreach will result in being able to target program funds to where local folks think they need to go.

I'm also pleased that this bill includes an investment in mentoring partnerships. I would like to thank Susan Davis for her hard work on this issue. Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill, and I certainly hope we can pass it.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall 161 on the amendment offered by Representative Goodlatte to H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act, I recorded a ``yes'' vote. This was in error; I intended to vote ``no.''

This amendment would create a new contract authority for the Secretary of the Agriculture to enter into contracts with states regarding projects on National Forest System lands. I, and many of my colleagues, were concerned that these new contracts might not be subject to Davis-Bacon protections or other relevant federal laws that provide wage protections for workers.

I have been a strong and consistent supporter of Davis-Bacon and of ensuring that America's workers are paid a fair wage. Recently, I voted ``no'' on an amendment to H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act, that would have removed all Davis-Bacon prevailing wage provisions from the bill.

I regret the error and am pleased that the Goodlatte amendment did not pass.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of legislation I am introducing in the House of Representatives today entitled, the ``Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009.'' I would like to thank the organizations that make up the National Children's Facilities Network (NCFN), as well as several of the Network's staffers, including Caitlin Kovalkoski, from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Corey Carlisle, from the Low Income Investment Fund, for all their guidance in revising this legislation that, if adopted, will meet the financial and technical needs of early care development.

Early care and education has a profound impact on the development of our nation's youth. To date, the federal government, in conjunction with state and local efforts, has invested billions of dollars through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and programs like Head Start and Early Head Start. While these efforts have done much to enhance early care in our nation, a lack of consistent funding and organized infrastructure has prevented the early childhood field from addressing its physical capital needs and creating the kind of environments that support quality programs.

President Obama has articulated on numerous occasions America's need to make headway in youth development programs. However, the supply of suitable spaces to house early childhood programs has not kept pace with the growth of the sector, and the shortage is especially severe in low-income communities--both urban and rural. Research conducted at a Connecticut preschool center documented how quality facilities result in more teacher-child interaction, more productive play with fewer conflicts among children, higher staff morale and lower staff turnover--all of which are established indicators of program quality. Yet it is rare to find high quality early learning centers designed to meet the unique needs of very young children, especially in low-income neighborhoods where programs typically occupy makeshift, surplus or donated space such as church basements or storefronts, and out of date school buildings designed for older children.

To address the shortfall in quality child care facilities, I am pleased to introduce the Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009, which will go a long way toward providing a dedicated source of capital for early care and education programs in our nation.

By allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to experienced non-profit community development organizations, my bill will help providers develop well-designed and appropriately-located facilities that will foster an environment of productive play and staff dedication. Non-profit facilities organizations can leverage a relatively small public investment with additional private capital, multiplying the total investment in child care facilities and serving even more children.

Over the past several years, two Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI's), the Leviticus Alternative Fund and the CDC of Long Island, have made nine loans to child care providers serving children from low-income families in my Congressional District. The Leviticus Fund lends to licensed child care centers and has made loans to Harbor Day Care, AMC Child Care Center, D&D Day Care, and Pat-Kam Early Childhood Center. The CDC of Long Island lends to Family Day Care providers and has lent to Susie's Day Care, Inc., Rosa's School House, Elena's Child Care, Barbara Grullon, and Carolyn Reid, all in the Fourth District. Passage of this legislation will further increase the support we can give to child care providers.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation for our nation's youth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor my friend and colleague, Mrs. Mary Ellen Mendelsohn, upon her retirement from the Federal Government. Public service is one of the most honorable and important professions an individual can choose. Mrs. Mendelsohn is at the top of her profession, working on campaigns and in government offices for more than 25 years.

Mrs. Mendelsohn earned her degree at Boston University and later went on to become District Director to former US Congressman Robert Mrazek. She later worked as Mr. Mrazek's Deputy Campaign Director during his bid for the United States Senate.

Mrs. Mendelsohn later became the President, MC Communications, a Public Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs Firm, assisting clients like the Town of Huntington, Child Abuse Prevention Services of Long Island, Housing All Americans, and the Columbia University Department of Oral History obtain grants from the public and private sector. All the while, she simultaneously and effectively managed campaigns for Hynes for New York State Attorney General and raised funds for New York State Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli.

After successfully assisting Brooklyn DA Charles J. Hynes, Mrs. Mendelsohn was appointed the Director, Government and Community Affairs, Office of the District Attorney, Kings County, New York. She remained in this

position until deciding to move on to private consulting for such clients as Cancer Cured Kids, John Bryant for Senate, Coalition for Peoples Choice and last but not least a Campaign Consultant for ``McCarthy for Congress.''

Mary Ellen came to work for me and the US House of Representatives as my District Director and Political Advisor in January 1997. I came to depend on Mary Ellen's breadth of knowledge to brief me and my Washington Staff on issues that directly affect my district. Her reputation has surpassed the confines of the Long Island office. My staff and I enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Mary Ellen, who is a pleasure and a delight to work with.

You only have to meet Mary Ellen once to realize that she is smart, funny and above all else, genuine. She is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She is the best kind of friend. She laughs at your jokes, sings and dances spontaneously, listens to your tales of glee or woe with the same intensity. She helps you feel strong when you feel weak and found when you feel lost. She is the friend everyone should have. We are blessed.

Madam Speaker it is with great admiration, pride and respect that I acknowledge and thank Mary Ellen for her work in public service and friendship.

I would like to thank Chairman Miller for his leadership and dedication to national service and for moving this important bill towards passage.

Also Ranking Member McKeon, and certainly my good friend on the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, Mr. Todd Platts, I would like to thank them for all the work they have done, and also the staff. This is a bill that has been put together for over a year and a half, and they have worked tireless hours.

Last month President Obama stood in this Chamber and called on Congress to pass legislation that would inspire a new generation of service and volunteerism in our Nation. Serving our fellow citizens for the sake of the service itself has become a hallmark of who we are as Americans.

Beginning with President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps and continuing with President Kennedy's creation of the Peace Corps and more recently programs like AmeriCorps, our Nation has time and again shown that Americans respond when they are needed. Mr. Chairman, I want to say that over the process of this last year and a half, so many different groups that have already been serving this country have come forward with new ideas, new suggestions, and we have put that all into this bill.

The GIVE Act is a piece of legislation, in my opinion, that is going to change, again, the way we as Americans work together. After World War II we had the veterans that came home and gave so much to this country to make it what it is. In this bill, we are reaching out, from students in middle school all the way through to our seniors and our retirees who have done so much to improve people's lives.

We have programs in here that are going to basically help with our energy. We have mentoring programs. We have programs for our veterans coming home to help other veterans get accustomed to being home again and helping them find jobs and also to see service.

I have to say, for those who have disabilities, we are bringing them into the fold now, too, so they can work with other students that might have disabilities and to help them.

Mr. Chairman, this is a bill that in my opinion is going to change the communities around this country. We have always seen Americans stand together any time there was an emergency. We saw that during, unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina. We have seen it after 9/11. We have seen it in so many tragedies.

This is going to encourage those that have been trained to continue with their service, to be there, the first responders, when neighbors need help.

Mr. Chairman, this is a bill that Republicans and Democrats alike should support. There is no name on this on who should be part of this. This is a bill that could actually get this country up and going. We all know that we are facing terrible times during this economic downturn. I happen to believe that we will come out of it fully. I happen to believe that Americans will come together and make this a better country. This is our opportunity.

I encourage everyone to vote for this bill.

Last month, President Obama stood in this chamber and called on Congress to pass legislation that would inspire a new generation of service and volunteerism in our nation.

In calling for a national service bill, President Obama has renewed the spirit of a practice in our country that is as old as the Union itself; the call to public service.

Americans have developed an extraordinary tradition of public service and volunteerism.

Serving our fellow citizens for the sake of the service itself, has become a hallmark of what it means to be an American.

Beginning with President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps and continued with President Kennedy's creation of the Peace Corps and more recent programs like AmeriCorps, our nation has time and again shown that Americans respond when they are needed.

No statement has put the sentiment of Americans' willingness to serve better than when President Kennedy told a generation to ``Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.''

Public service and volunteerism provide the means through which Americans can give back to their communities while gaining the tools they need to achieve their own goals.

The GIVE Act will create a framework to develop national service programs that will improve their communities and enrich the lives of all of those who answer the call to serve.

The GIVE Act contains important provisions that will help strengthen communities and provide real opportunities for Americans to serve in meaningful ways.

The bill before us, which builds upon last year's GIVE act, will help thousands of Americans who choose to serve our communities.

I am proud of the focus the bill places on providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth, strengthening mentoring programs, increasing service opportunities in cities and urban centers for vets and people with disabilities.

This bill creates 175,000 new service opportunities for Americans.

Under the GIVE Act volunteer and service opportunities are made available to people of all ages.

The bill puts an emphasis on service-learning efforts, establishing programs to engage kids of all ages, middle school, high school and college.

For middle school and high school students, there are opportunities through the Summer of Service service-learning program to earn an award to pay toward college expenses and serve in the summer months when school is out of session. Priority is given to programs enrolling middle school students.

The bill makes high school students part of the solution to challenges faced in their communities by establishing Youth Engagement Zones. These programs will help bridge partnerships between community based organizations and schools in high-need, low-income communities to engage high school students and out-of-school youth in service learning to address specific challenges their communities face.

I am proud that this bill contains an important focus on disadvantaged youth.

By providing the right types of outlets, young people coming from difficult circumstances will have a chance to lift themselves up through service.

In addition to strengthened efforts in our middle and high schools, the bill also recognizes outstanding institutions of higher education which engage in service learning through the Campuses of Service.

The bill will help students by linking the full-time education awards to the maximum authorized Pell Grant award amount for the first time, in order to keep up with rising college costs.

It will also engage more retirees to volunteer, particularly those who have backgrounds in the science, law enforcement and military professions to help in afterschool programs.

This will give thousands of older Americans the opportunity to share their knowledge and skills for the benefit of their communities while offering young people guidance and support.

We establish Silver Scholarships and Encore Fellowships to further expand service opportunities for older Americans.

Encore Fellows are individuals, age 55 or older, that want to transition into a second career in the public or nonprofit sector and who agree to be placed with a nonprofit organization to carry out service projects in specified areas of national need.

Silver Scholarships give individuals age fifty five or older who complete five hundred hours of service in a year an education award of one thousand dollars.

To focus on addressing the nation's most pressing needs, the GIVE Act establishes a Clean Energy Corps to encourage energy conservation in low income communities, an Education Corps to help improve graduation rates, a Healthy Futures Corps to increase access to healthcare, and a Veterans Corps that will help provide services to those brave Americans that have already served our nation.

What the GIVE Act will do is to build a national infrastructure for service and volunteerism and makes an historic investment in way our service programs are administered.

Just as we did in the last Congress the bill expands the focus of the National Civilian Community CORE (NCCC) to include disaster relief.

It was NCCC members who answered the call when disasters such as Hurricane Katrina occurred and this bill recognizes how important it is to have trained folks on the ground during a disaster by allowing members engaged in disaster relief to extend their service term if necessary.

The bill focuses on building our national service participation while providing much needed streamlining to reduce administrative burdens.

One of the concerns I have heard during this process was that currently there is not enough consultation between the Corporation, States and local government.

This can result in local program needs not being addressed when national service plans are being developed.

This bill requires states to ensure outreach to local government such as cities and counties when preparing national service plans.

Better outreach will result in being able to target program funds to where the local folks think they need to go.

I am also pleased that this bill includes an investment in mentoring partnerships.

I would like to thank Rep. Susan Davis for her hard work on this issue.

Youth mentoring programs can have a profound effect on efforts to increase both the quality and quantity of mentoring opportunities available to America's young people.

In my home district, we have the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island and they do terrific work getting students connected with successful mentoring programs in Nassau County.

Finally, the bill includes a requirement that the Corporation conduct a nationwide ``Call to Service'' campaign to encourage all of our nation's citizens to engage in service.

I worked with my colleague from New York, Rep. Peter King, on this provision.

As part of this campaign, Americans will be urged to observe September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

It is important that Congress work together to continue to build on America's traditions of public service and volunteerism.

The GIVE Act creates a path through which we can help ourselves by helping others.

We need to work to create more volunteer and service opportunities by finding more ways for more Americans to become stewards of public service--and the GIVE Act does exactly that.

We have worked for years to develop a comprehensive service program in this nation.

We have the opportunity to do something truly significant with this bill, which is to make a cultural change in the way we relate to our community and support each others needs.

As a young woman I was inspired by President Kennedy's call to public service.

Today, a new generation is being called on by this Congress and President Obama to contribute to the strength of our nation by engaging in public service and volunteerism.

The GIVE Act is a once in a generation bill that will change the fabric of our nation for generations to come and I call on all of my colleagues to enthusiastically support this groundbreaking legislation.

Madam Speaker, today, I was unexpectedly detained at a doctor's appointment and missed one vote. I would like the Record to reflect how I would have voted.

Rollcall No. 116, on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 67, Recognizing and commending the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Cornell University for the success of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on the 5th anniversary of their successful landing, I would have voted ``yea.''

I rise today in support of H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009.

The legislation makes important investments in our nation's water systems and strengthens the environmental protections of our waterways.

I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and the Transportation Committee staff for working with me to include my amendment in the manager's amendment to the bill.

I also want to thank Representatives Baldwin, Schwartz, and Inslee for joining with me as cosponsors on the amendment and for their continued efforts to work with me to make our waters safe.

Our waterways provide a source of recreation and impact the food supply for all Americans.

And, perhaps most importantly, our waterways are the source of our drinking water.

In 2008, the Associated Press found pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supplies of approximately 46 million Americans.

In my state of New York, health officials found heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, mood stabilizer and a tranquilizer in the upstate water supply.

Six pharmaceuticals were found in the drinking water right here in Washington, D.C.

We don't know how the pharmaceuticals enter the water supply.

It is likely that some enter the water supply through human waste, runoff from agricultural operations, and the improper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals.

In addition to antibiotics and steroids, EPA has identified over 100 individual pharmaceuticals and personal care products in environmental samples and drinking water.

As a nurse, I am concerned that the presence of the pharmaceuticals in our nation's waters may have negative effects on human health and wildlife.

This amendment requires EPA to conduct a study on the sources of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in our waters and the effect that they have on the environment and human health.

Upon completion of this study, EPA is required to issue a report detailing their findings.

The study also requires that EPA identify methods that can be used to treat the water and remove the pharmaceuticals if we need to, and to prevent them from entering the water in the first place.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products include prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, fragrances, lotions, and cosmetics, as well as products used to enhance growth or health of livestock.

The results of this study will prompt responses from the scientific community which can help form the basis for future research.

The report from the study will be used as part of the government's efforts to better understand the effects that pharmaceuticals in our waters have on human health and wildlife and to craft appropriate legislation that addresses the issue in a responsible manner.

I want to stress that this effort is not intended to make any presumptions or accusations.

We are just looking for more information so that we can make better informed choices and eventually move forward on sensible policies.

Hopefully, the study will give us more information about the presence, source, and effects of pharmaceuticals in our waters so that we can begin efforts to ensure that the water is safe.

We must begin to better understand the impact pharmaceuticals have on our environment and on our health. It is especially important that we make sure that our constituents can feel confident that they are drinking clean, safe water.

We need to find out how these contaminants got in the water, what the risks are and what steps we need to take to solve the problem.

It is vital that Congress take up and champion the cause of keeping our waterways and drinking water safe.

This is a public health issue, an environmental issue, and an economic issue.

I urge my colleagues to support the manager's amendment and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 83, commemorating the annual celebration of Black History Month.

As our Nation celebrates Black History Month this February, we are fortunate to also mark a unique milestone with the election that was mentioned before by my colleague of the first African American President. How proud we all are that this day has come.

While it can be said that this extraordinary achievement has brought about a new era in our history, it is important that we take time to remember all of those who made great sacrifices to help make the dream of equality in our Nation a reality.

Black History Month gives all Americans a chance to mark how far our Nation has come, and serves as a useful reminder of the struggle and efforts of those Americans who fought for freedom for all citizens in our Nation.

I am blessed that I have many African Americans in my community that certainly went through the struggle of the civil rights, and the stories they tell and how they come into the schools and continue to tell the stories. And I think it's important that our young people know the struggles to get to where we have a President, so they can lift up their heads and say, ``I can be President of the United States.''

While Black History Month was originally created in February to mark the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, both of whom had enormous impacts on the lives of African Americans, it was developed into an opportunity to celebrate lives and works of the many ordinary African Americans who have helped to enrich our society and improve our Nation.

In the case of the civil rights movement, as it is so often the case in American history, it was the everyday Americans that had the greatest role in making the change that brought equality to our Nation. The struggle for equal rights and the civil rights movement are defining points in our Nation's history and serve as proof that our greatest adversities can come from our greatest achievements.

I urge my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 83.