Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, let me thank you sincerely.

It looks like it is going to be pretty lonesome in this House. I have been looking since I have returned from the recess to see how a nation that is about to embark on another intrusion, military intrusion, what concerns we would have to have and to explain when we go home and tell our constituents that we have done this because of you, that your Nation's security was threatened.

Now, I agree with the gentleman that when we see these atrocities committed something should be done, but by us? Haven't we suffered enough? Haven't we sacrificed enough?

So few Members of Congress have to attend the funerals of those dedicated men and women. Less than 1 percent are making this sacrifice. There is no financial sacrifice being made, no tax put on the war, and people think that people are volunteering to put themselves in danger. Well, the families don't always feel the same way about it. And I have been involved in being a part of getting citizenship for people who have come to this country and enlisted and fought and died for this country, and I give the family a little flag.

Now, it wasn't too long ago that America was under the impression that enough is enough. We have lost. We have sacrificed enough. We have got to get Iraq on its feet, help stabilize the government, and then we will get on and deal with Syria.

Now, in the old days, when I was in the Army, we knew who the enemy was. They had uniforms. They had flags. But as I understand, the fluid situation that came to our intelligence during the recent recess, it seems as though ISIS is worse than al Qaeda and all the other evil terrorists that we have been involved with and that now some of them have acquired weapons that we have given to some of the Arab cults that were our friends, but somehow the weapons have been taken and are in the hands of people that I am not certain which ones are our friends.

Now, I know the President has said no boots on the ground. I don't know what that really means, that we don't expect to lose any American lives. I don't know whether that means that only drones will be used and that we can rest assured that no American in

uniform is going to be fighting anybody in that part of the world.

But since the threat to our national security appears to be so uncertain, and since the President believes he already has the power constitutionally to enter into this stage of engagement with this threat to our national security, and since I know that, polls notwithstanding, very few Americans are going to have a problem going to sleep tonight thinking about ISIS, it would seem to me that one of the ways that we could discuss and debate this is a part of what I was saying when I introduced the draft bill.

I don't want to see our young people having to serve in the military. I think it is good to have some type of public national service, but I don't think people should be trained to kill. But I know one thing. If the security of this great Nation is at risk, it shouldn't be less than 1 percent of America that has to be placed in harm's way.

So, even though most of the lives we lost started off with not troops going in initially, but consultants, advisors, and those that are going to instruct our friends to defend themselves, but ultimately the number gets larger and larger and larger. So I am going to submit some kind of way that one criteria that Members can use when going back home when their voters ask, ``Well, what was it that impressed you so much after all our country has suffered in getting involved, all the trillions of dollars, the 6,000 lives, what did they say that caused you to believe that our Nation was threatened?'' you might say that we had attached to that a draft bill, and we said that if it appeared as though our Nation was going to embark on a military excursion in another country, every American must be registered between certain ages, men and women, if they are able, to say our security has been threatened, and we should be proud as Americans to say that that is the reason why we have done that.

I bet you one thing. If that is what we were talking about this recess, neither party would be anxious not to have a vote on this, and we wouldn't be getting out of here tomorrow or the next day or the day after if we have to explain why someone's son, husband, or brother or sister may have to be involved in Selective Service because we felt in our hearts that our Nation's security was threatened.

So I, like you, want to hear what the President has to say. When Republicans come to the floor and say they are going to join with Democrats to support the President, that is something I haven't heard of in years. So I do hope that the President is able to bring us together with a better understanding as to we as Members of Congress and Representatives of the Nation's citizens and noncitizens, that we can come together, not as Republicans and Democrats, but as Members of the House of Representatives where the people govern. And all of us would feel better in knowing it is not an easy choice, but we are convinced that it was the best choice.

So thank you so much for taking the time out, and I only hope that 435 of our Members would be doing the same thing so I can leave more secure in knowing that I have done the right thing. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

We were talking about war and peace. To me, we are still talking about a moral issue.

Here in this great Nation, the richest in the world, we are asking people to work 40 hours, many without sick leave, many without vacations or vacation pay, and--at the end of the day--end up in poverty. There is something terribly wrong with that picture.

It seems to me that it goes beyond just doing the right and the moral thing. Even churches and synagogues and mosques should recognize that their membership is going down because you can't pay the rent, buy the food, and still give your money to the religious institutions.

Beyond that, what are they going to do with the money? I will tell you: they are going to be able to get nutritional diets for their kids. They will be able to buy clothes for their kids. They can aspire that their kids get a better education and be able to get higher jobs and have higher ambitions.

They can make America more productive because they have more self- esteem because being poor is not the worst thing in the world, if you feel that you can come out of that poverty and you have an opportunity to do it.

There is something worse going on in this country today. I was privileged years ago to sponsor a bill that we all know is the earned income tax credit, and the earned income tax credit says this shouldn't happen. If you have got a family and, after you follow the Federal formula, you are still poor, why, we will give you a check. You won't owe taxes; we will give you a refundable check.

Guess what? Some of the people that are hiring these people at very low wages also hire accountants that advise the potential applicant how to become eligible for the earned income tax credit. So they give a little bit, the government gives a little bit, and the people still end up poor.

It just seems to me this is not a Democratic issue; it is not a Republican issue. It is an issue of: What does America stand for? Where is the equity involved if we are not going to allow our country to be pumped up by the middle class people who made this country great?

We are not a country of rich and poor folks. It is the middle class that have demands, that want to go to the local store, so that they can sell and hire people and have communities that feel proud about themselves.

I know one thing: with the rents that are going up in communities all over this country and people who used to consider themselves middle class, you miss one or two payments of your rent--and Judge Judy doesn't want to ask you what were the circumstances.

If you didn't pay your rent, you are going to get evicted. If you don't have resources, if you have no place to go, you can go from a plateau that you thought was middle class into a homeless shelter.

Getting out of that situation and seeking employment is almost impossible. How much does it cost? Hundreds of billions of dollars in social costs because you wouldn't give Americans an opportunity to earn a living wage.

So it is lonely down here with you guys, but I do hope before we leave that we can have not just Democrats, but all of the Members be able to go back home and say, ``I was late getting this started, but we do have the issues, and we are going to make you proud.''

Thank you so much for taking the time to allow us to express what we know most people believe, but politically, they can't support.

Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank the gentleman from Nevada for this opportunity to support H.R. 4443, naming a post office in my district after a fallen hero who, as was reported by the chairman, came to this country as a kid on August 24, 1984, with his family from the Dominican Republic.

He didn't come to this country to become a hero; he came in search of the American Dream, as so many thousands of people have. Ultimately, after living and playing in the vicinity of this post office that we will name after him, he finished school and saw an opportunity in serving in the United States Armed Forces, as a matter of fact, joining the 2nd Infantry Division, which I was honored to serve from 1948 to 1952.

Juan lost his life, and he gained his citizenship after that through provisions that we have made in the immigration law. There are so many thousands of young people that won't have post offices named after them, and some will be forgotten by many people who have no idea where our young people have lost their lives or what even they were fighting for.

That is why it is so important for us as Americans, as we continue to fight the longest war in our history, you should remember that it is more than the post office, it is more than their life, but it is what this great country stands for as we try to protect America all over the world.

It is so important to us, as Members of Congress who have this responsibility to determine when that moment comes, that our Nation's national security is threatened and when we will be going to war, and that these thousands of lives, not just the people who for economic or other adventurous reasons join the military, but in fact, a sacrifice that all of us have to make when our great Nation is threatened.

We are still going through this period, and it seems to me, Madam Speaker, that when the President of the United States or Members of the United States Congress believe that our Nation's national security has been threatened, that we should also make certain that we have a mandatory service that goes with us, so that no matter what neighborhood, no matter what the economic status is, that when that flag goes up, all Americans, regardless of their age, should be prepared--should be prepared and anxious to make some type of sacrifice in support of our Nation's security.

Certainly for those who are young enough to serve, they should not be confined to just those who volunteer, but everyone should be made vulnerable or at least given the opportunity to be drafted into the military to serve this great Nation.

So I appreciate the support of the House to name this post office--it will be symbolic--on Vermilyea Avenue after the name of this brave young person, a son, a brother, a father, and--most of all now--an American who gave his life for this great Nation.

I thank the gentleman from Nevada for giving me this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration that today I rise to join all of the people in the village of Harlem and my Congressional District to celebrate the works of Mr. James Baldwin on his 90th birthday this upcoming August 2, 2014. James Baldwin was a legendary writer who broke new literary ground by exploring racial and social issues in his works.

Mr. Baldwin was born to Emma Jones, a single mother, on August 2, 1924 in Harlem, New York. While he never met his biological father, Mr. Baldwin did have a father figure growing up: Baptist Minister David Baldwin. The preacher's religious influence had a lasting impression on James and his writings. He would go on to spend three years as a youth minister. The language of the church shaped the cadences and tones of his work, becoming unmistakable hallmarks of his literary style.

After striking out on his own and moving away from home, Mr. Baldwin published short stories in national periodicals under the tutelage of his mentor, Beauford Delaney, a renowned Harlem Renaissance painter. Growing disillusion with chauvinism against African-Americans and the gay community, Baldwin left our country and settled in France at the age of 24. He found that the distance gave him enough space to reflect on his experience as a black man in white America. Please allow

me to quote Mr. Baldwin's later thoughts on this dramatic change in his life: ``Once I found myself on the other side of the ocean, I saw where I came from very clearly . . . I am the grandson of a slave, and I am writer. I must deal with both.'' Through his writing, Baldwin did deal with this reality.

In 1953, Baldwin published his first novel, a semi-autobiography called Go Tell It on the Mountain, which explores the repression, moral hypocrisy, religious inspiration, and community ties that characterize the Black American experience. While he spent much of his life abroad, Baldwin always remained a quintessentially American writer. In the early 1960s, he returned home and became a leading voice and activist in the Civil Rights Movement. The works that Baldwin published during this tumultuous time in American history, explored the deep-rooted racial tension with eloquence and unparalleled honesty. His two collections of essays, Notes of a Native Son (1955) and Nobody Knows My Name (1961), as well as two novels, Giovanni's Room (1956) and Another Country (1962), were immediate bestsellers. James Baldwin created beautiful literary works with unprecedented depth and power; his writing will remain an essential part of the American literary canon.

In honor of his birthday, as well as to pay tribute to Mr. Baldwin's tireless effort to addressing our nation's issues with race and spirituality, the New Heritage Theatre Group, Columbia University School of the Arts, National Black Theater, Street Corner Recourse and Harlem Renaissance High School recognize August 2nd as James Baldwin Day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me as we pay tribute to such a legend. I pledge to continue his fight for justice for all and encourage everyone to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Speaker, this rule, exactly what bill is it that we are going to vote for or against as relates to the rule? Because depending on the substance of the bill, it is going to determine whether I vote for or against the rule. If they are not prepared to tell us exactly what the bill is going to be in it, how could we possibly make a judgment as to whether we support the rule?

May I further inquire, we are not asking you to opine anything, Mr. Speaker. We are asking you to tell us exactly what we will be debating. If we don't know what we are going to be debating--I am not asking the Speaker to tell us what is in the bill. I am asking the Speaker to find out from the majority exactly what this rule is going to be allowed for them to bring up so that I would know whether to stay here or not to stay here.

Debate on what, Mr. Speaker? Just tell me what will we be debating on? That is my question. You tell me what the Members will be debating on, and I am satisfied. I don't want you to opine. I want you to tell me what is going to be in the bill.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, I don't know how we can possibly frame a parliamentary inquiry to find out exactly what is in the underlying bill that we are asked to pass or vote against this rule.

In any event, I know one thing. We as Americans, especially those of us in the Congress, have a particular responsibility to pass on a legacy to those that follow us in terms of what this country really stands for.

Besides the Star-Spangled Banner and the Stars and Stripes, we also have the Statue of Liberty close to my hometown. People come from all over the world because it is symbolic of what this great country believes in.

Not that many years ago, a group of Jewish people attempted to flee Germany because they feared that Hitler

would be looking for them in order to arrest, kill, and to eliminate them as a people. We refused that ship that came into our harbor, called the St. Louis. We denied them the opportunity to come to this country, and they returned to Germany.

I don't know what is on our conscience, but we should take a look at our history and what we are leaving as a legacy.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize The Second Annual African American Hepatitis C Awareness Action Day which was held on Friday, July 25, 2014. Hepatitis C is a deadly and contagious viral disease that attacks the liver and kills thousands of Americans each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 3.2 million people in the United States have chronic Hepatitis C virus infection, many of them unknowingly in the absence of symptoms. African-Americans have been disproportionately afflicted by the Hepatitis C virus more than any other ethnic group, representing an estimated 22 percent of chronic Hepatitis C cases in the United States.

The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc. (NBLCA) has played a tremendous role in raising awareness by organizing the African American Hepatitis C Awareness Action Day. HIV infected persons are more susceptible to contracting the Hepatitis C virus, thus it is critical that people at risk are made aware in order to prolong a quality life. NBLCA does the community and its residents an exceptional service, surpassing its mission of educating African-Americans on means to counteract HIV/AIDS and other health disparities across the nation.

NBLCA has serviced thousands of organizations through technical assistance, development, and public policy. Their actions have garnished over $2 billion in federal funding for HIV/AIDS, formulating the first programs existing in the black community to address the problems caused by the HIV/AIDS virus. Furthermore, NBLCA continues to maintain chief consultant positions on various health related issues in numerous national organizations. They remain partners with the Congressional Black Caucus, the National Association of Black Social Workers, and the National Caucus of Black State Legislators, totaling over 500 black state officials being represented by the organization. NBLCA is also a prominent partner of the National Baptist Ministers' Convention, which represents 8.2 million African Americans. Internationally, this well-accomplished organization has served as an advisor on HIV/AIDS related issues to the United Nations, Gabon, Central African Republic, Uganda, The Bahamas, and others.

During this week, NBLCA has partnered with health care organizations and providers to provide communities with free screening services and information on behaviors associated with contracting the Hepatitis C virus. This initiative will allow many people who are unknowingly infected with the Hepatitis C virus to receive treatment before the virus causes fatal conditions such as liver cancer or cirrhosis. With the establishment of alliances with community leaders, clergy, and public officials across the nation, NBLCA has truly become a remarkable asset inspiring a much needed element of change within our communities.

Fortunately for millions across the world suffering from this chronic disease, an effective and curative treatment for the Hepatitis C virus, Solvadi, has been developed by the U.S. based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. However, it is disappointing that the high cost of Solvadi, $84,000 for a 12-week treatment, may leave the drug inaccessible to many Americans reliant on Medicaid. State Governments and health insurers in the U.S. will be challenged as they seek to provide this curative treatment to a large population of beneficiaries who otherwise could not afford it. Solvaldi is truly a triumph in modem medicine but if it cannot be made affordable to all those in need of treatment, it would certainly fail to serve its purpose. It is especially disheartening to learn that Gilead has offered to supply its ground breaking drug to foreign countries at up to a 99 percent discount of the price within the United States. Hepatitis C is a contagious chronic disease that often requires decades of treatment and expensive organ transplant procedures. If made affordable, Solvadi could save our country's health care system indefinite costs.

We are in the midst of a golden opportunity to rid the world of a disease that has claimed the lives of countless people. As evolution continues to give rise to new disease that may plague future generations, we must make a fervent national commitment to eliminating disease and ensuring the health of our citizens as we have in the past against diseases such as polio and smallpox. I am glad we have organizations such as the NBLCA, who is fighting the good fight on the grassroots level. It would be a great triumph for humanity and modem medicine to speak of Hepatitis C as a disease of the past.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in raising awareness of such a debilitating disease and support appropriations that grant funding to non-profit organizations like the NBLCA across our Great Nation. These talented organizations do such a tremendous job saving so many lives.

To the Chair, I ask that perhaps we can ask someone from the majority as to whether or not the accusation made by the ranking member of the Ways and Means is correct.

To the Chair, I ask that the attention of the majority be given to the speaker at this time.

Mr. Levin has said that this change in the law and to remove the marriage penalty allows people making between $150,000 and $205,000 to become eligible for the tax credit. It also says that a family making $160,000 a year would receive a new tax cut of $2,200.

It just seems to me that the majority in this House is not going to allow this to stand unchallenged, and I would hope that either those that are controlling the time or the staff have enough interest to protect the integrity of the Ways and Means Committee to say that these child tax credits are for the working people that need the assistance that they can't get except through the Tax Code.

If we are going to go near a trillion dollars in extending tax credits and extending our national debt, we certainly shouldn't do this for the benefit of the higher-income middle class people. So please don't let this debate close without hearing an answer as to why in the world would we extend the deficit for the benefit of people that are making up to $200,000 a year to receive benefits for child credits.

It is amazing how any bill that reaches the House, all you have to do is put a title on it and then not read it, and you think you have got something going. Listen to the way this bill, H.R. 3393, is described. It sounds like the committee that put it together was well on the way to reform, that they have taken a whole lot of complex provisions and combined them into one to make it easier for the applicant to understand what is going on. The problem with that is when you do all of that and make it simple, and then put a trillion-dollar bill on top of it and make it permanent and cut off benefits for other people, it just shows that when people use the word ``reform,'' it doesn't necessarily mean that you are doing better.

I admired the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee when he put together a tax bill and had the courage to eliminate a lot of the tax credits that were not paid for, a lot of loopholes that were in the law, and I think it was supposed to be revenue neutral, as difficult as that sounded. But no one ever thought, certainly not Paul Ryan, when he said:

The people deserve a government that works for them, not

one that buries them in more debt.

Well, this is exactly what this bill does. It is permanent. There are no provisions to pay for it, and it buries us in more debt.

But what really annoyed me the most was this 4-year limit because, if I can just beg the House for its indulgence, when I came out of the Army, I thought I was the cat's meow in terms of how much people appreciated my contribution to the security of this country. And of course I went to the Veterans Administration to see what my benefits as related to education would be. They told me the first thing I had to do was to take an aptitude test and that Catholic Charities would provide the test. So I picked up my rosary and I went to Catholic Charities, and they asked me a lot of questions.

When they completed it, they concluded that I should be studying to become a mortician or an electrician. I didn't emphasize that I was Catholic because I didn't think it would make that much difference. But when I refused to agree with that conclusion and asked them to show me one question that I answered that would allow them to believe that I should be a mortician or an electrician, they said: My son, it is not so much that, it is just that you have a 4-year cap on the education.

They said you have a 4-year cap on the education. I was shocked to be reminded that I hadn't completed high school. I had to complete 2 years of high school and 4 years of college. Instead of telling me that, I found out the hard way that I had a 4-year ceiling. Well, I was able to convince them after a year to reduce my 2 years by combining it with credits for 1 year and the college for 4 years to 3 years, so I got under the hammer.

But I cannot imagine, when technology means so much for a person to hold onto their job, just to keep up with the technology that is there, when they can almost feel the elevation of the qualifications that are necessary, that the United States Government would say: Well, you almost made it because we have just put a 4-year cap on your ability to really be productive in this country.

But I guess what hurts me the most is the hypocrisy that is involved here when we talk about the national debt. Is that something we just have to talk about? Should we talk about the interest that we pay on the national debt, or should we really just talk about getting a Tax Code that is simplified, that does encourage economic growth, and that does make it possible for people to believe there is equity in this.

Now, I know the chairman had a beautiful draft and it was lauded by Republicans and Democrats, but this is the end of the session and we find ourselves with the tax bills accumulating a trillion dollars worth of debt, so why talk about giving someone an education when the debt of the Nation may bury them, as the chairman of the Budget Committee has said.

So I am convinced that the image hasn't changed, but the method in presenting a cutoff of benefits has changed in how it is presented.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 28, 2014, the Baptist Ministers' Conference of New York & Vicinity led by President Reverend James D. Morrison paid tribute to late Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson, who presided over the conference as president until his untimely passing, which occurred on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday on January 20, 2014.

It is with great honor that I am able to say that Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson was a true disciple of the Lord and messenger of the word. He combined the power of education with the power of divinity to manifest perfection and excellence. Dr. Sampson earned it the old fashion way, because he was led by God and destined to lead others. The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 16, Verse 9 states, ``The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.''

Biblically literate and centered, Dr. Sampson brought down the walls of Jericho, and removed all the obstacles by raising and developing his leadership through ongoing training and learning at the highest level. Book of John, Chapter 13, Verses 13-17 also states, ``You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.''

Reverend Dr. Sampson was guided by these teachings during his 30 years of pastoral service to Thessalonia Baptist Church and his devoted leadership to the Baptist Ministers' Conference of New York and Vicinity. Therefore, it is our firm belief that the Creator sets a clear path for each of us to follow, and the path paved by Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson, Jr. will allow so many to benefit from his commitments. Great men like our beloved husband, father, grandfather and Pastor are precious gifts we temporarily have in this world, but their assistance, contributions and accomplishments will be far remembered and everlasting and define him as a true patriot of an American Dream well lived.

I am including into the Record Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson's obituary which was read during his Going Home Services.

Shellie Sampson was born on December 15, 1940 in the

central region of Newark, New Jersey. As the eldest of three

children to the late Shellie Sampson and Lillian Brinson, he

placed a high value on education and led a life characterized

by profound spiritual insight, hard work, tenacity, and the

relentless pursuit of excellence. While growing up in Newark,

he took advantage of the opportunities before him and used

his resources to become a man of distinction who would leave

an enduring legacy.

Shellie Sampson graduated from Central High School with

honors in science, history, music, and distance running. He

went on to attend Rutgers University dual majoring in

chemistry and natural science before earning a Bachelor's of

Arts in natural science. He worked diligently even while

being one of few Black Americans to attend Rutgers. During a

time of tumultuousness and racial upheaval, he persevered in

spite of discrimination from professors and hostility towards

African Americans. Following his bachelor's degree, assured

of the unquestionable spiritual call upon his life, he

attended Drew University where he earned a Master's of

Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry of Christian Education.

At the same time that he was yielding to the spiritual call,

there was an equally great intellectual fervor continuing to

grow within him. He was accepted to New York University where

he pursued Urban Studies and all coursework leading to a

doctorate degree. After the program had been eliminated, he

transferred to Temple University where he gained far beyond

what he imagined. Choosing to start from the beginning of his

doctorate, he was able to study the latest research that

would provide him with the tools he needed to produce his own

original, cutting-work. Dr. Sampson gained mastery in areas

beyond his particular discipline, integrating Urban Studies,

Psychology, Black Studies, History, Sociology, and Education.

In 2007, at 66 years old he had completed coursework for his

third doctorate and earned a Ph.D. in Urban Education and

Psychology. Within the University, some of the most highly

esteemed scholars commented that they were astounded by the

depth of his intellectual contributions to fields that were

not his own. His departments began his dissertation as the

model for all subsequent doctoral theses and asked him to

provide a list of every title in his personal library at

home. Based on his inquiries and insights, additional courses

were added to the curriculum to further enhance the program.

These accolades were in addition to seminars he attended at

MIT and Princeton University.

Not only was Dr. Sampson a man of keen spiritual insight

and intellectual prowess, but he had an unwavering commitment

to his high school sweetheart. At age 15, he met Deloranzo

Paschal at Central High School, and after looking up her

academic records in the school office, he determined that she

was the kind of woman that he wanted to date. For their first

date, he took her to see the ``The Ten Commandments,'' and

was then certain that they shared a common vision and passion

for God. As their love blossomed, he proposed to her and even

waited while she pursued her dream of entering military

service as Air Force personnel. In 1960, they were married in

Bloomfield. They have six sons and three daughters. Dr.

Sampson was a devoted father who worked tirelessly to provide

his family with the best education, well-

rounded extracurricular activities and diverse life

experiences: Above all else, he taught them that God and

education were the keys to success. Because of his

ambitions and standards of excellence, his family now

includes leaders in the following fields: educational

leadership, pastoral visionary, law, counseling, civil

service, music conducting, early childhood, elementary and

higher education, public relations, veterinary medicine,

public health, medical assistance, chemical engineering,

cross cultural studies, computer engineering, fashion

marketing, animal science, communications, media and music

technology and performance.

The success that Dr. Sampson's family achieved is the

result of the hand of God upon his life. It began when he

accepted Christ in his heart while playing the organ as a

teenager. At the risk of embarrassing his pastor, he was

honest with himself and with God, responding to the altar

call because he wanted to know God as his Lord and Savior.

From that very moment, Dr. Sampson yielded to the Holy Spirit

and began to center his life on his newfound spiritual

identity from church activities, to vacation, to times of

prayer with his family. He tenaciously pursued his purpose

until January 20, 2014 when the Lord called him home.

He was blessed to have an impeccable academic record but

also to have an impressive career as a chemist for Theobald

Industries. He also worked as a microbiologist at Best Foods

International and a Technological Supervisor in Packaging

Engineering--Quality Control for Anheuser Busch. In most of

his positions, he was one of few, if not the only African

American working in the company. Although he frequently met

with racial opposition, when he traded his career as a

chemist for Anheuser Busch for the call of preparing people

for God's Kingdom, the company was disappointed to see him go

and promised him a job and benefits if he ever wanted to

return. There was no question, as

for Dr. Sampson and his house, they would serve the Lord.

In the 1970s, Dr. Sampson was ordained and installed on the

same day as Pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church in

Montclair, New Jersey. Despite the arduous schedule, he

worked, attended school, and pastored with his whole heart.

While pastoring at New Calvary, he was invited to apply to

serve as the interim headmaster at Covent Avenue Science

Academy. He assumed the position and the Lord would continue

to open doors for him, connecting him with various leaders

who would recognize his gifting and invite him into more

extensive church networks. Dr. Sampson served as the

president of both the Shiloh Baptist Association Congress of

New Jersey, as well as the Northern Baptist School of

Religion of Newark. He was a guest instructor for the Eastern

Baptist Association College Seminary Extension; a guest

lecturer at Drew University School of Theology, and Executive

Director of the Baptist Education Center of New York. In

addition, he traveled with the NYC Religious Education

Academic Foreign Studies Tours, traveling to WCC Geneva,

Switzerland, Gregorian University, Rome and Hebrew

University, and Israel.

After pastoring from 1970 to 1982 at New Calvary Baptist

Church, he was called to Thessalonia Baptist Church and

installed as the twelfth pastor in May, 1982. Dr. Sampson

came with a vision that continues to grow even unto this day.

His vision included major projects such as, the erection of

the Cultural Community Center, which today is a multimillion-

dollar communal faculty. Upon completion, the Center housed

the following: South Bronx Leadership High School, the TIR

Bookstore, church offices, a banquet hall, amphitheater,

chapel, lower gallery with additional office space and over a

dozen classrooms. Dr. Sampson was a strategic thinker who

anticipated the future. In laying the plans for the building,

he placed the elevator and handicap ramp at the intersection

of the church and the new construction in order to provide

access for seniors and disabled visitors. Dr. Sampson's

strategic leadership led him to establish the Thessalonia

Institute of Religion and the Thessalonia Academy, an

elementary school designed to ground students in the Gospel

and provide a rigorous academic curriculum. To date, the

Academy has had over 50 graduates and more than 100 students,

many of whom have gone on to attend prestigious boarding

schools, colleges, and universities. Other endeavors include

several renovations to the church building, food pantry,

senior programs, adult education programs, feeding and

clothing of the needy, Boy Scouts, youth ministry, annual

church retreats, and the enhancement to the name: Thessalonia

Worship Center.

In addition, writing was the hallmark of Dr. Sampson's

life. Not only could he often be found feverishly inscribing

notes in a pocket notebook, but he always carried a pen and

was ready to record the things that God was revealing to him.

His discipline to write transferred to his roles in ministry.

He was Editor-in-Chief for the National Baptist Christian

Education Handbook and he wrote materials for church

leadership, such as Effective Techniques in Abuse Ministry:

Handbook for youth education, Superior Leadership in

Challenging Situations as well as training guides for various

aspects of the ministry. He authored several books and

publications, including Revelation Now: Viewing the Tragedies

and Triumphs of Believers, Building Faith Now and

Achievement. His publications extended beyond local venues

and were disseminated to international audiences. He

incorporated his own publishing company, Dorkeo Inc and his

texts were distributed through a variety of formats including

print, digital, audio, and visual.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson. Educator, Spiritual Leader, and a true American Hero.

Let me really thank the gentleman from Nevada for constantly reminding us of what a great country we live in and how it can be so improved.

Mr. Speaker, in having fought in the war--screaming and yelling and complaining, but recognizing how great this Nation is--it was an opportunity to say thank you for the blessings that have been bestowed on this Nation and to think about those who drafted a constitution that didn't include slaves or women or people who didn't hold land.

Yet they drafted a document that was flexible enough for us to be able to say that that great Statue of Liberty meant that we would bring talents from all over the world to come to make us the largest democracy and the strongest military and the greatest economic force in the world; and we have done that because we have always felt that, no matter what your background is, if you could get here, you could make it here.

When we talk about the Brown decision, nobody ever thought that, in just sitting next to White folks or to Black folks, that we were going to get a better education.

What we tried to overcome in our schools is that nobody of color who picked cotton or who fought in the battlefields--who had as high a patriotic record as any other group of people--would not be able to be denied the opportunity to participate in the economic growth of this country.

If individuals succeed in this country, it means communities succeed in this country. When that happens, the Nation succeeds.

When the flag is saying the United States of America, there is no color involved or language involved in basically what people think. They know that we have been able to bring together a gorgeous mosaic; but if because of color--if just because of color--you associate it with poverty and a lack of education and a lack of decent housing, then this is a cancer that we must not only talk about, but that really prevents America from being all that she can be.

Recently, a person in the other body thought that the political opposition to President Obama was based on his color. Most of us know there is no question about it. Most of us know that there are still parts of this great Nation where people never believed that the Union Army prevailed and that President Lincoln was a true patriot. Some of those people hate our President with the same hatred with which they hated Abraham Lincoln.

The truth of the matter is that more and more people of color are coming to this country. What will bind them--what will make us stronger--is that they be educated, that they be able to get into the middle class, that they be able to prosper.

The Brown decision merely said that a person, an American, who is being denied an equal opportunity to get an education is being denied due process. It is like sending a person to the wars without a rifle, without the resources to negotiate saving his life and to destroy the enemy.

We are not talking just about doing the right thing. You cannot love this country if you are not going to be prepared to educate everybody in this country. It is going to take more than a Court decision, especially this present Court.

It is going to take this generation to stop teaching their kids to hate people because of their color, because if you leave it up to kids, if you really just put them together and see how much they laugh and joke, they will not be aware that somebody, somewhere, had some poison--venom--that said that variations in color meant that there were variations in respect and support.

I think that the Congressional Black Caucus and especially you, the gentleman from Nevada, are the patriots that we have today with the willingness to tolerate the indifference and the lack of sensitivity to our need, but also with the willingness to work and to come together and make certain that color does not take away from our mutual respect and from our ability to gain the tools that would allow us to make the maximum contribution to this great country.

I thank the gentleman for this opportunity, not only to salute those who drafted the Constitution, but who made it flexible enough for people they never thought to be able to participate and really make it work for all of us. Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to this bill because I didn't think it was honest with the American people, and the chairman says he wants to be honest. I am just surprised that he is responding to this, because I don't think too many people believe this is on the level.

The Senate has spoken on this issue. This is not going to become law. It is not Benghazi. It is not affordable care. So I would think that this has to be something else that we are preparing for in 2014. And I really don't think that the American people are going to go to sleep tonight wondering whether or not we take this billion-dollar bill--even though all of us love the concept of research and development. But so many people are going to be going to sleep hungry. They haven't got extended unemployment insurance. They need a variety of affordable housing. And now we are doing this for 2014. It doesn't fly. It doesn't get off the ground.

Well, what I am saying to the chairman is that he has such a great start with the tax reform, something that we could have worked on together, to pick out one good thing that we have, even though we don't have money to pay for it, is an ideal thing for Democrats and Republicans to sit down and wonder, ``How can we make certain that America stays ahead in research and development?'' but to do this because we are running out of things to try to embarrass Democrats on is really not fair to our Nation. I really think our national security is being impacted because of our inability to work and get something done.

So I oppose this, as any other thing that is just trying to find something to embarrass us, but I do hope for 2014 that we find something, anything--immigration, unemployment compensation--so that when we do get there there will be a Republican Party.

I really love Democrats. But this used to be the party of Dixiecrats. Now they left us, and I want to make certain that they don't come back.

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, April 26, 2014, the Village of Harlem and the residents of the HDFC Houses at 206 West 121st Street came together to celebrate the life of Clyde E. Cook who passed away peacefully on April 15, 2014. It was a fitting tribute to a man who helped organize and redeveloped 206 West 121st Street Apartment Building into New York City's Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) program, giving individual tenants ownership shares of their apartments, where Clyde served as president and building manager. Clyde and his beloved wife Clarissa were dear friends, allies and active members of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Democratic Club, the home club of my political family.

Clyde Cook's obituary in the New York Amsterdam News reads as follows:

``Harlem's oldest Romeo'' Clyde E. Cook was a proud member

of the Harlem Village, and because of his inspiration and

positive outlook, he was an optimistic figure in the

community. His smile and kindness moved everyone that knew

him; he was a strong pillar and role model.

Cook took great pride and pleasure in helping others. He

loved writing poetry and going to the movies. His 6-foot-2-

inch slender frame, rich baritone voice and cool demeanor led

to his being called ``Harlem's oldest Romeo.'' He was a

father figure and dear friend to many. His direct involvement

as a Harlem community advocate enhanced and enriched the

neighborhood.

He was born in Selma, Ala., on Aug. 2, 1936, to the late

Ira and Lottie Cook. Clyde was the youngest of four children.

At an early age, his family relocated to Harlem and Clyde

received his education in the New York City public school

system, graduating from Clinton High School in the Bronx.

During his adult years, Clyde fell in love and married

Clarissa Harrison and resided in Harlem until she preceded

him in death in 2006.

Clyde joined the auxiliary police during the nineteen

seventies and graduated with honors. He held many managerial

positions during his professional career starting at Harlem

Hospital, the City Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street, the

Board of Elections and ending as president and building

manager of his HDFC building, located at 206 West 121st

Street, around the corner from Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

Boulevard and a short distance from the Mecca of Harlem's

African Square on 125th Street that he loved so dearly. Clyde

performed outstanding and exemplary service, helping others

attain affordable housing.

Clyde Cook's leadership abilities led him to become an

active community advocate. He joined the 28th Precinct

Auxiliary Police in an effort to bring crime down and clean

up the neighborhood during Harlem's darkest drug infested

days. Being such a lover of community, Clyde became the

president of the Golden Awards Committee, where under his

leadership he honored many of Harlem's elite professionals

for exceptional and devoted acts of service within the

community. Our beloved Clyde passed away quietly with dignity

and grace after a brief on April 15.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my esteem colleagues to join me in honoring Harlem's oldest Romeo and community advocate, Mr. Clyde E. Cook.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, April 27, 2014, the Village of Harlem, New York and the Village of East Elmhurst, Queens, New York came together to celebrate the life of Deacon Calvin Otis Butts, II, father of our beloved Reverend Dr. Calvin Otis Butts, III, Senior Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church. The celebration took place at the First Baptist Church of East Elmhurst, where Deacon Calvin O. Butts, II served the Lord and its ministry.

The celebration included the wonderful voices of the Abyssinian Baptist Church Mass Choir and the breathtaking and gospel and sound of the First Baptist Church of East Elmhurst Ministry of Music. The Baptist were certainly in the house as preachers from all over the City of New York crowded into the sanctuary to displayed their love and support to the Butts Family. The Reverend Patrick H. Young presided over the services and the Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III eulogized his father as only a proud and loving son could do. It was one of the most touching and delightful eulogies that captured our thoughts, our minds and our hearts.

I submit the obituary that was prepared detailing the wonderful life of Deacon Calvin Otis Butts, II:

The Life of Calvin O. Butts II

Calvin Otis Butts, II was born on December 5, 1922 in

Fitzgerald, Georgia, to Calvin Otis Butts, Sr. and Verdie

Branch.

The second of eight siblings (Melba, Calvin II, Robert,

Nadine, Elestine, Jerry, Joan Blondell, and Joseph) from that

union, he grew up learning to love and trust God at the Salem

First Baptist Church. This solid foundation of faith would

strengthen and sustain him throughout his entire life. In his

youth, Calvin served as a Western Union delivery boy, at that

time a position not usually given to African Americans. The

messengers' motto was ``Take pride in your job and in your

appearance,'' words that clearly had an influence on him

through the years.

While in Fitzgerald, Calvin met Eloise Edwards, from nearby

Ocilla, Georgia. He accompanied her to her high school prom,

which was the beginning of a love that would endure for over

six decades.

After attending Monitor High School, Calvin moved to

Corona, Queens, New York, with his older half-brothers, James

and Leon. He first worked in retail sales until he enlisted

in the United States Army in 1942. He served tours in Europe,

the Middle East and Africa, earning three Distinguished

Service Medals and achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant

before his honorable discharge in 1945.

Upon his return to New York, Calvin began working as a

butcher. He joined the Meat Cutter's Union, and eventually

became a chef at the Black Angus restaurant, a job he held

for 25 years. He then went on to work for the City Of New

York as a chef at the Bruener Home for Boys in the Bronx.

Calvin also took care of some unfinished business, marrying

his former prom date, Eloise Edwards, on September 14, 1947--

a marriage that lasted 66\1/2\ years, and produced one son,

Calvin Otis Butts III.

Mr. Butts was a man of integrity who stood on the Solid

Rock of Jesus Christ, and

it was apparent in every aspect of his life. He was a

lifetime member of the NAACP, and as a testament to his faith

and service, Mr. Butts was ordained as a Deacon at the First

Baptist Church of East Elmhurst, where he was also a member

of the Men's Chorus.

Deacon Butts was also a good father. He was unwavering in

his support, and took pride in the accomplishments of his

son. He made sure that Calvin III, got an excellent education

from Morehouse College. Even as his strength began to wane,

you could still hear the respect and pride in Deacon Butts'

voice when he extended his hand and greeted his song with a

strong and clear, ``Dr. Butts.''

Deacon Calvin Otis Butts, II transitioned from labor to

reward on April 21, 2014. He is survived by his loving wife,

Eloise; his son and daughter-in-law, Calvin III and Patricia

Butts; sisters Nadine Nealy, Elestine (Richard) Holloway, and

Joan Blondell Williams; sisters-in-law Rosalee Butts and Emma

Nell Butts; grandchildren Calvin IV (Tiffany). Alexander

(Dina), and Patricia Jeanne; great-grandchildren Kyla Jeanne,

Alexander II, Calvin V, Arthur Andrew, Reed Harris, and Ethan

Nathaniel; and a loving host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and

friends.

``For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my

departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have

finished my course, I have kept my faith; Henceforth there is

laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the

righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me

only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'' 2

Timothy 4:6-8

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my esteem colleagues to join me in honoring the Life of Deacon Calvin Otis Butts II.

I want to thank you so much for pulling together this special hour. I got from New York a little late, and in working, I turned on the TV and saw these eloquent spokespeople, and I am just so glad I got here in time before our time has expired. So all of those that made this possible, it starts my new week down here with a breath of fresh air.

Last Sunday, I participated in ceremonies at Grant's Tomb. That is General Grant. That is President Grant. And his great-great-grandson was there to speak on Grant's not wanting slavery. They even had a few people dressed up in Union uniforms, which I had not seen before. But at the conclusion of listening, just a few generations ago, this guy talking about General Grant and President Grant, it convinced me that in some parts of the United States of America, they don't believe that the Union won. The reason I come to that conclusion is that, as I never saw that many Union uniforms, I have never seen so many Confederate flags that represent groups that are proud of the fact that they call themselves the Tea Party. And then I was thinking, because it was a long ceremony, where do these Tea Party people, what areas of the country are they most comfortable? And I reached the conclusion they are from that part of the country that the States owned slaves. And then I thought, well, are they Democrats or Republicans? They used to be not only Democrats, but they fought against every civil rights bill we had here.

I never thought in the 54 miles I marched with Dr. King from Selma to Montgomery that we ever would get the civil rights and the voting rights, but when we got it, somehow the Dixiecrats disappeared. And all of a sudden, they came up in the South as Republican, Republicans that really hate this President as much as their predecessors probably hated Abe Lincoln. And it was all about slavery--all about slavery. And if you go to the parts of South America and the Caribbean islands, Mexico, all you see are remnants of slavery--even Puerto Rico.

But here in this country where we thought we had broken out of the Civil War, what the heck does it take for people to understand that you shouldn't hate the President so much that you are ready to destroy the Republican Party, the entire Congress, but most of all the people of this great country? We have been able to take people of all colors, all blood, all languages, and they didn't come here and just fall in love with each other. They hardly knew each other. But somehow they set aside these differences and in 300 or 400 years became the power of the world.

That power just wasn't in dollars and cents and the ability to have more than any other country in wealth, but it was hope. It was the ability to believe that no matter what level of the economy you were in, you could achieve. This could not be said for many of the countries in Europe. That is why they loved their countries, but they cared more for their families here.

And now we have millions of people whose complexions look more like the people who were here when Columbus so-called discovered them. And then you find a hatred which defies economics and sound politics against people who want to come to this country, who have invited constructively as we say in the law because they came, they got paid, everyone was happy, but the more that came, the more that wanted to come, their complexion started changing the complexion of the Nation.

And why they refuse to allow the President to try to remove this cancer from America, why they don't understand that we just can't afford to destroy everything this country stands for? We are talking about immigration laws so that we can bring more talent. But, most of all, most of my colleagues, we are talking about education. How the heck can we allow party differences with the President to agree that we have got 2 million human beings locked up in jail? Most of them have-- the only people they ever hurt was themselves. The cost of keeping them incarcerated--cops, courts, food, and health care--is mind blowing compared to the infinitesimal fraction of America's education as paid to by this Congress. So much of the setbacks has to do with the stigma of having come from slaves rather than slave owners.

But the thing is, if a nation like ours is going to maintain any degree of similarities, we have to all pull together and not be divided by color, sex or where a person has been born or the language that they speak.

So I came over wondering what can 43 people of African background, combined with scores of people that have Latin American backgrounds, combined with so many other people that families can remember poverty and the pain of not being a part of the middle class, and to see this shrinking and missing a paycheck, a check on unemployment compensation, a month in rent, homelessness, being in shelters, not being able to get a job, losing your kids--man, that is pain. That is not America.

So what can I do? Well, I am 84, and I guess I don't want to say anything that would jeopardize my getting to Heaven without any hassles with St. Peter and the rest of them up there. So I will make an appeal to the priests, the ministers, the rabbis, and the imams in saying that you deal with a higher authority. You deal with all people. God can't possibly have expected, when He would have us to believe we are made in His image, that He could be so many different colors. He is one in our mind as He used these colors to make the world.

I want to hear their voices when we talk about education, hunger, nakedness, thirst, and being locked up and having some comfort, because that is what we are talking about today.

So let me just thank you. We can't give up. We can't give in. We can't give out. We may not have an answer in this Chamber, but the will of America can change this Chamber, and we just have to have good people, whether they are in synagogues, mosques, or cathedrals, to call their Congressperson and say that this is not the time for our great Nation to be divided by class, color, or wealth. It is time for us to do what that sign says: ``In God we trust.'' And we have got to trust. We have got to fight, and we are going to win.

Thank you for the opportunity for all of us to express ourselves.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of this Congress matter of utmost importance--The World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act, which was included in the omnibus veteran's bill, FIR 2189. The bill passed the House on October 28th, 2013.

The World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept additional documentation when considering the application for Veterans status of an individual who performed service in the Merchant Marines during World War II.

The Merchant Marine is a civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Navy, but not a uniformed service, except in times of war when, in accordance with the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, Mariners are considered military personnel. In an effort to support the American war effort during World War II, they became an auxiliary to the United States Navy. Their mission was to transport bulk war materials including food, clothing, and weapons, as well as troops to all areas of conflict as well as domestic coastal installations.

During their missions in open waters, Merchant Marines often encountered the enemy and took hostile fire. Almost 250,000 Merchant Marines served during World War II and approximately 10,000 were killed while serving and protecting the United States.

In 1977 President Jimmy Carter signed into law the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977. This bill granted authorization to the Secretary of Defense to determine the service performed by an ``organized group of citizens'' to be considered ``active service'' for purposes of Veterans benefits and established the Department of Defense Civilian/Military Service Review Board and Advisory panel. In 1988, President Reagan signed a bill into law granting veteran status to merchant mariners who served in war. Moreover, the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 expanded Merchant Marine Veteran benefits to include burial in a National Cemetery.

I am proud that the Borough of Manhattan Community College is working on a documentary titled ``The Sea of My Brother'' about my constituent Gabriel Frank, an 85-year-old veteran of the World War II and Korea, who served in the merchant marine for 23 years, and whom I had the honor and privilege to meet.

The film follows the fight of Gabriel and others for the passage of a bill in Congress, H.R. 1936--Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2013, to provide a benefit to veterans who served in the US Merchant Marine during 1941-1946. From rallying his fellow veterans to meeting with politicians, Gabriel and his comrades passionately fight to win this dignity for their community.

Today, elderly veterans continue their fight for this recognition. Their strong, positive and fighting spirit will not let them give up as they choose to advocate for their fellow veterans, leaving a legacy of inspiration for all.

I am urging the Senate to act on their Omnibus Bill so this important legislation can be acted into law.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Mr. Albert L. Nellum. Al transitioned peacefully on March 1, 2014. His impact on this city and our country may not be as well known, but it is indelible. Al was a pioneer consultant, businessman, and activist in his own way.

Al was born in the heart of the Deep South: Greenville, Mississippi and later grew up in Chicago, Illinois as well. He, like a number of us, arrived to a Washington that now barely resembles its former self. And yet, he set out to change it for the better. Opportunities were scarce for African Americans, and Al paved the way for the presence of future black consultants in the District. During the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1964, he established A.L. Nellum and Associates Inc., the oldest black-owned management consultant firm in the United States.

He also supported and worked with us in forming what would become the Congressional Black Caucus. We relied on Al's expertise and advice over the years, and welcomed his input at various stages. He helped to organize the first CBC Foundation dinner as well as the scholarship program, which he and fellow business leaders spearheaded. Al also worked with Rep. Parren Mitchell on the first CBCF Braintrust on Black Business.

Al's activism was not limited to the U.S., but his impact can be felt internationally. His efforts against anti-black racism in Japan are a testament to his commitment to making the world a better place. He organized a full page ad to oppose Japanese racism and advocated for the fair depiction of blacks. He even traveled to Japan and met with its leaders at his own expense, to protest these offensive products and derisive images. Al's ties to Japan stretched back to the 1950s when he was a serviceman in the U.S. Army there.

I salute Al Nellum, and extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. May the memories of him sustain all of us at this time.