Floor Statements

I want to thank my colleagues, and especially Dr. McDermott, for bringing this piece of legislation to the floor to give some assistance to American citizens who found themselves in Haiti during this tragedy. This comes under the Social Security system, and I'm glad that Dr. McDermott was able to bring it to the floor.

I have never been more proud of the Congress, my country, and, indeed, citizens throughout the world for rallying to the cause of these young people.

Madam Speaker, Dominican Heritage Month gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and applaud the economic, cultural, and social contributions Dominican Americans have made to this great nation. Dominicans living in our shores have been motivated by the value of hard work and the bonds of family--the same pillars of our society that has built this great nation for over 230 years.

It also gives us an opportunity to consider the many Dominican American achievements, on the island and in the United States. Many of our hemisphere's firsts were established on the shores of Quisqueya. One of those firsts was the sound of Bachata, a guitar-based evolution of the Bolero often compared to the Blues with prevalent tales of heartbreak, sadness, and bitter-sweet romance. The genre began in the countryside and rural neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic and slowly made its way on to small venues. The musical group Aventura, with its unique style of Bachata, hip hop, and R&B fusion, finally brought the genre onto the world stage.

The group, which formed in 1996, includes lead singer and featured composer and producer Anthony ``Romeo'' Santos, guitarist and producer Lenny Santos, bassist Max Santos, and composer Henry Santos Jeter. As of today, Aventura is one of the most unique artists on the music scene. Since its humble beginnings, the group has sold over 1 million albums worldwide. After well over a decade of sparring in the music business, these four young, dynamic Dominican Americans with a seldom- seen chemistry continue to auto-produce soulful, original music that gleams with excellence. In the past year alone, the Bronx-based Bachata band has had the most successful Latin album, spending over five months at No. 1 and spawning four No. 1 singles.

Aventura has not only contributed significantly to the history of the world community, they have also contributed substantially to many of our world's poor and less fortunate communities. From benefit concerts to toy drives, they reach out to help those in need. Even as we pray for those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti, the group has pledged to donate to the relief efforts and will also allow Red Cross volunteers to accept donations on-site at four of their Madison Square Garden concerts, deemed the last tour, later this month.

Since the initial wave of Dominican migration to the most recent arrivals of today, Dominicans have worked hard to contribute to our national identity, educating us all on their culture and traditions and enriching the quality of our shared futures. Aventura solidifies that sentiment in every way. This award-winning group is not just a sense of pride for all Dominicans in our nation and abroad but for all Americans.

Madam Speaker, for this, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues in the Congress join me in paying tribute to not only the triumphs of Aventura, but also the invaluable impact that this quartet has had on our country and the world.

Madam Speaker, this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the 1270 Fifth Avenue Cooperative in my Congressional District. 1270 has the distinction of being the first middle-income co-op in my and surrounding Congressional Districts and the only residential co-op in Manhattan that is a cooperative nonprofit corporation.

Incorporated on August 8, 1957, under the New York State Cooperative Corporations Law, the building was constructed with a stream of funding from Section 213 of Title II of the National Housing Act. The $4.5 million dollar mortgage held by the Federal Housing Administration has since matured in November of 1999.

Despite the neighborhood's initial negative reaction to 1270s construction, there was a tremendous demand for the apartments. At a time when segregated housing in Manhattan was still the norm, 1270, which was unrestricted regardless of race, gender, or creed, and priced for middle-income residents, was seen by minorities and liberal-minded folks as a desirable place to live. By November 1959 when the building first opened for occupancy, 194 of the 201 available units had been sold. The remaining seven apartments were sold and occupied by July 1961.

Making history for 1270 had its difficult moments. A board of directors was quickly elected in order to tackle problems as they surfaced. Throughout the years of struggle to establish and maintain a viable middle-income cooperative in East Harlem, the families and individuals at 1270 held together through a tremendous sense of home and community. Men and women who arrived as young adults lived and raised their children, and grew old here. Neighbors became lifelong friends and took care of each other.

There is no better measure of 1270's success than the fact that people who move there, stay there. Of the 201 shareholders, 69 percent have been there for more than 10 years; 44 percent for more than 20 years; 35 percent for more than 30 years; and 17 percent for more than 40 years. The average length of residency is 21.6 years.

1270 was and continues to be called home by multiple celebrities and other notables, including: Odetta, internationally celebrated folk singer; James Dumpson, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Welfare; Elaine Jones, former executive director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; Verne Oliver, former headmaster of New Lincoln School; Debbie Allen, television and stage actress; Phylicia Rashad, television and stage actress; Charles Henry Alston, internationally acclaimed artist; Ruth Slenczynska, internationally acclaimed concert pianist; Gus Trowbridge, founder of Manhattan Country School; Lois Small, founder of senior dance group, ``The Steppers''; the family of Ralph Bunche, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; the family of Harry Belafonte, singer; and the family of Johnny Mathis, singer.

1270 has not only survived, but it has thrived through the years. Current neighborhood beautification projects have magnificently transformed the setting of the building's home. 1270 faces the Harlem Meer section of New York City's Central Park and the Conservatory Gardens, which have been restored and maintained with an endowment. The on-site Museum of African Art adds a part of the building to New York's Museum Mile. Sightseeing buses now regularly stop in the neighborhood for tours.

Madam Speaker, on the occasion of 1270's 50th anniversary, as we look back on the successes of the National Housing Act, we can all feel a sense of pride. For many long-time residents, the soul of this section 213 building can never be separated from its historic roots.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the first Black republic in the New World, as it celebrates its 206th anniversary as a nation, and for serving as an inspiration to all who support democracy.

On January 1, 1804, General Jean-Jacques Dessalines, leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti (Ayiti), declared Haiti's independence after years of war against the French colonizers. This historical rebellion, in which an army of former slaves defeated one of the world's greatest powers, was the only successful slave revolt in the New World and a clear example of the human race's universal thirst for freedom.

Haiti's legacy of courage and triumph over oppression led indirectly to America's western expansion. The defeat of the French Napoleon Army by the Haitians, albeit indirectly, helped America expand its territories towards the West with the Louisiana Purchase. The loss of its most profitable colony forced France to sell others, including what was then called Louisiana, which represents around 23 percent of United States territory today.

As we take this time to honor the second free nation in the history of the Western Hemisphere, second only to the United States, let us recommit our friendship and support to the people of Haiti as it moves toward economic and political stability. Although problems remain, Haiti is on target to recapture its legacy of resilience and valor. It is this same valor that was used when supporting the United States with additional troops during the American Revolution and we thank them for their support and sacrifice.

This past year, Haiti has received unprecedented diplomatic attention which has resulted in political stability, economic growth, greater access to education, and success in the fight against the AIDS/HIV epidemic in the country. These reports bring a sense of pride to all those who know Haiti's history and its significance to all freedom- loving people.

We call to the attention of my colleagues the outstanding direction of President Rene Preval and Haiti's diplomatic representatives, Ambassador Raymond Joseph and Consul General Felix Augustin. I thank them for their leadership and service to the country of Haiti, even during the most challenging of times. They are champions of democracy, and I salute them for their dedication to fulfilling Haiti's legacy. I would also like to recognize former President Bill Clinton in his capacity as United Nations special envoy to Haiti, for rallying new international and corporate support.

Madam Speaker, I invite you and our colleagues in joining me to celebrate Haiti's independence and committing ourselves to supporting them in the future.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4462) to accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Haiti, as amended.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, all of us have witnessed this horrendous event that has taken place on our continent; and I know that, whether Republican or Democrat, we all want to be able to do whatever we can to ease the pain of these poor people. That's why I'm glad that Mr. Herger is here representing the Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee, which did not hesitate to meet and decide on just what we could do as a committee to make it easier to encourage people to make contributions. I know all over the country that people are collecting clothes, food, and things of that nature; but the bottom line is that they need cash; they need checks. This is what we have decided to do.

So we have a nonpartisan bill here on this which deals with the technicality. It's available on the Web site of the Joint Committee, www.jct.gov, and it's listed under Document No. JCX-2-10.

This bill allows Americans and others to make generous cash contributions to the charities of their choice; and at the same time, it allows them not to have to wait until next year to be able to deduct these as charitable contributions. It accelerates the time that this can be done between now and March so that any contribution that is made can be deducted on the 2009 tax return, which is being prepared now for April 15.

In addition to that, there has been some question as to how you can document the actual payment if it were made on the cell phone or if it were made without actually having proof of a charitable deduction. The only proof that could be made would be by using the telephone bill, and there was a question as to whether or not that would be considered as sufficient evidence of making the contribution. This bill will, indeed, make it possible for text messages to be relied upon, text messages which are used on cell phones, when claiming these charitable contributions.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek). He is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, but, more importantly, he has been so closely identified in the bringing back of Haiti before this tragedy. He has been there, and we admire and respect the contributions he is making to rebuild this great nation.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 2 minutes to the majority whip, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn). There is no question that he has provided the leadership on this issue and inspired the Ways and Means Committee and so many other Members in the Congress. Haiti has a true friend in the heart of Jim Clyburn, our Democratic whip.

I yield 2 minutes to a member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4462, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I close this on the high note that America has shown its greatest, especially in this Congress. I want to thank Scott Murphy, a new Member, for insisting that we move forward on this. Of course, the Republicans, Mr. Herger and Mr. Camp, who joined together with Democrats to prove that when Americans want to do things, that party labels don't really mean that much. I do hope that the rest of the country would see what we have done and take advantage of this legislation in order to make certain that they have an accurate recording of the contributions that they make through the telephone as well as to take advantage of the expediting of deductions that are being recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

I hope everyone would vote for this bill and let this be a symbol as to what this Congress can do. It's not just for Haiti, but for ourselves and the rest of the free world.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the struggles of the Haitian people in the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake that hit the island nation on January 12, 2010. The images of the aftermath of the earthquake are startling and sobering reminders of the power of nature and of our obligation as human beings to assist those who are less fortunate.

In the short term, Haiti's emergency needs are overwhelming. Even with the death and casualty toll estimates still coming in, we know that there is an urgent need for food, medicines, water, emergency shelter, and equipment. The immediate response from our citizens has been gratifying. Within 24 hours following the quake, we saw Americans from a cross section of society--from elected officials in Washington to everyday residents all over New York City--reach out and offer assistance.

The Obama Administration, for its part, has pledged its full support for rescue and humanitarian assistance. I applaud President Obama's decision to pledge $100 million in relief aid. It is clear that there will be an even greater need for a long-term commitment to rebuild the nation's infrastructure, and to provide educational, security, and economic assistance. As the leader in our hemisphere and Haiti's most important political partner, the United States should lead the way in supporting these efforts.

There will come a time when the people of Haiti are no longer headlines in the media; and yet they will still be in desperate need of help from the international community. It is at this time that we must pull together and unite to help the citizens of Haiti rebuild their country. Similar to a national public works program, the building and repairing of roads and bridges, schools, hospitals and health care clinics, and the undertaking of massive reforestation should create much needed jobs for Haitians.

I would also like to thank President Obama and Secretary Napolitano for granting the thousands of Haitian nationals in America with Temporary Protective Status. This humanitarian gesture will allow our Haitian brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends, many of whom have been among us for several years, to remain here, work hard, and contribute to the efforts of rebuilding their homeland while in America.

Haiti has been a long-time friend and ally of the United States, and now it is our turn to exercise our friendship in their time of need.

Madam Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues in joining me to dedicate our efforts, and commit ourselves to supporting, the long- suffering Haitian people, now and into the future.

Madam Speaker, this year marks the 50th Anniversary of 1199 SEIU as a healthcare workers union. For the union, the last 50 years have been challenging ones. Through its efforts, much has changed for the better, and they have been a large part of that change. In the words of founder and former president Leon Davis, it is a history of ``tough struggles and pioneering advances, decent wages, and working conditions instead of poverty, respect on the job instead of contempt, security instead of fear, and hope instead of despair.''

The 1199 changed history in 1959 when a drugstore union made up of pharmacists joined the Civil Rights Movement and set out to organize 30,000 predominantly Black and Latino workers in New York City's voluntary hospitals. The union succeeded in signing their first collective bargaining agreement with Montefiore Medical Center that year. Today, the union is 350,000 healthcare workers strong, in hospitals, nursing homes, and homecare agencies throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington, DC. And they continue to grow despite these difficult times.

Aside from raising labor standards and restoring dignity to their members, 1199 has been a leading force for social and economic justice for all. It is why Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called 1199 his ``favorite union.'' And it is why they were the only labor union Malcolm X chose to speak before. The union was once the headquarters for Cesar Chavez's national grape and lettuce boycotts, as well as the headquarters for Nelson Mandela's visit to New York when he was released from prison. In all its years of activism in electoral politics, the union's greatest crowning achievement was in 2008, when it dispatched thousands of members--many of them for several months--to help elect Barack Obama as our nation's first African-American president.

For all its achievements over the many years of service, including being champions of worker rights, I applaud 1199 on its 50th anniversary and have pledged to its president, George Gresham, that the union can continue to count on my strong support in the many years ahead.

So Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in celebrating the 50th anniversary of 1199 United Healthcare Workers East of the Service Employees International Union. As 1199 looks back at its historic accomplishments over the last 50 years, let's join it in looking forward to the next 50 years, meeting the challenges that lie ahead with the same spirit, determination, and strength that has shaped who it continues to be today.

Let me first thank Chairman Neal for the great job that he has done over the years in terms of presenting legislation that is so sorely needed in this House. And let me speculate in terms of how far is it going to go that we are going to have this partisanship in the House of Representatives.

You know, we have a saying that once we're overseas, we leave the Democratic label and the Republican label behind us. But believe me, the flag and the credibility of the United States' credit is on the line. And whether it's the Chinese, the Japanese, or the European Union, it seems to me that the pride that we once had in terms of being the leader of the world, not only in fiscal policy, but in foreign policy, is on the line.

No one out there in our communities is going to look at this as a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. They're going to look at it as an American issue. And they're going to look at the Congress. Why? Because we have the full faith and credit of the United States of America in our hand. People have political problems with raising the debt limit, but our country has fiscal problems. And Treasury has assured us, as he has the minority, that they don't have these fiscal gimmicks in order to play around with it.

I know a lot of people know it's going to pass, and so, therefore, they're not going to vote for it. But somebody--maybe our kids and grandkids--is going to ask, Did the United States of America ever forfeit and didn't pay its debts? And some historian teacher will say, yes, they did. And they will want to know what Congress did it, and who did it; they're not going to ask whether you're a Democrat or Republican.

So we've got plenty of time to fight--we have at least a year. But, please, when the credibility of the United States of America is on the line, don't ask which side you're on; be with your country.

Chairman Obey, let me thank you for not just saying what are we going to do about the jobs, but bringing this all together and doing something about it. One of our great Presidents, Jack Kennedy, once said that sometimes your party just asks too much of you.

I know that's what my Republican friends must feel today, because there is no question in my mind that they have just as much compassion in their heart for those jobless people as we do. They know, as we do, that those who have lost their homes, lost their dignity, lost their job, didn't do it by being Democrats or being Republicans.

I recognize that when you go in a room and make a decision to say ``no,'' you are kind of stuck with it, so we are not naive enough to believe that I can change your mind about what you already decided, but I do hope that when

you go back to your home districts, and you recognize what is happening to people who are jobless, many of whom are hopeless, many have lost their skills and many who hope soon it will not continue, have lost what it's like to believe that in this great country there is no limit to how far that you could go.

So maybe next year would be different. Maybe the guys in the street will be following you around, as we find people grabbing Members of the Congress, saying, Hey, my dad needs a job, Congressman, Congresswoman, can you help?

We're trying to help. It was a big crisis and a lot of blame to go around. But collectively someone thought that TARP would work. Well, it had some successes. One thing is certain: We're not going back there. This time it's not the banks. It's not Wall Street in my area. It's now going to be Main Street, so that once again you have an opportunity to explain what are you doing in the Congress.

Well, I know it didn't go over big to say that you were bailing out banks. It certainly didn't go over in my district. How about we're trying to bail out our people. We're trying to restore the hope and confidence they had. We're trying to keep kids in school. We're trying to put food on their table. Sure, we talk about food stamps and food pantry, but we're trying to restore that dignity that make Americans so much different from other people.

In the Ways and Means Committee, where we have jurisdiction over COBRA, this is another step to have dignity. You lose your job, you lose your health care. What a terrible thing to be looking for work and you're sick and you can't even go to the doctor. Worse still, if there are sick people in your family and you don't have the insurance. Well, the Federal Government comes in not with handouts but saying can we give you a hand with your responsibility to provide health care? And that's what we've done on our committee.

We've taken unemployment benefits. You know, you can get enough checks for the length of time----

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

In any event, we got aid out there for school construction. It's not just to make certain that we have a place for our kids to learn to become the leaders of tomorrow but also that people can get bricks and mortar and rebuild those schools and renovate those schools, and that's what we're doing.

We've been able to make certain that at least the Ways and Means Committee can join in with the other committees, under the leadership of our great Speaker and Dave Obey, to be able to say this is not all that we want to do; this is all that we can do.

Maybe over the holidays you might be able to get back to your leadership and say, We've been faithful. But we've found out that many in our districts have lost jobs, lost their home, lost their health insurance, and really lost hope. Just saying ``no'' is not going to work.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize A. Philip Randolph for his great life's work, demonstrating an unyielding struggle for human rights that impacted all marginalized groups in society during his time. He was an influential leader who had a hand in the civil rights and labor movements.

A. Philip Randolph firmly believed that workers' rights and civil rights went hand in hand. He was influential in speaking out for African American rights during the 1930s and 1940s, focused particularly on labor and employment issues, and he was the leading force behind the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Not only did he lead a 10-year campaign to organize the Pullman Porters and served as the organization's first president, but Randolph directed the March on Washington movement to end employment discrimination. He was also elected a vice president of the newly merged AFL-CIO in 1955. Mr. Randolph was instrumental in changing the way Black Americans were treated in the workplace, and workers today are still benefiting from his efforts. A. Phillip Randolph realized the importance of organizing Black workers and used this position to advocate for desegregation and respect for civil rights inside the labor movement.

It is only fitting that we recognize Randolph for his contributions as a founding father of the early civil rights movement. A. Philip Randolph struggled for social, political, and economic justice for all working Americans, and recognizing him in Congress is a long overdue honor that Randolph's legacy deserves.

Once again, I want to thank Judge Congresswoman Fudge for taking the time out as well as our leader, Barbara Lee, for showing the depth of commitment that we in the Congressional Black Caucus have not only for our communities, which traditionally, historically have borne the blunt of historic economic setbacks, but for the entire country, because in my experience, it appears as though our great Nation's national security is at stake.

We can talk about the terrorists, we can talk about those that are out to destroy our way of life, but we can destroy our own way of life because what made America great is not the bankers. It is those people that thought in this great country that they could aspire, that they could work hard and there would be no limits on what they can achieve.

But unemployment is more than a statistic. Loss of a job means more than losing your house and losing your health care. It also means losing your dignity. And I cannot foresee how it's possible to have an economic recovery and have a jobless state of the economy. It seems to me that more important than the exchange of stock showing that America is willing to take risk is, what does America think about its hope, its future for its children? It seems to me that what makes America so great is what we think we can achieve. And whether you talk about current unemployment, you have to consider those people who had no hope before the setback. What happens to a person that is not included in the statistic? What happens to a person that knows there's no job at the unemployment office? What happens to a person that has given up hope?

Even if the so-called economy recovers, where will their will be to exercise the skill that perhaps has been lost? And how do you regain hope once that is lost.

And so what I hope that we understand as a Nation is that it is not just those who are suffering out there, who are losing sometimes their family as well as their jobs, but it happens to be something that's going to affect the well-off, because the more we expand those people who have no money to spend, the more our small business people have no reason to be in existence.

And so we can talk about the stock market, but the world is not turning on our stock market; it's turning on the will of the American people. Internationally, if we begin to look, as we have in so many communities, as a developing nation, not having the will, not having the resources, not being able to feed our children, not being able to provide health care for our children, what is the difference in a mother or father's heart whether you are in a developing country, whether it's in the Middle East, whether it's in Africa; the love for your children has to be the same no matter what country you're in. If you can't feed your child, if you can't encourage your child, if you can't educate your child, if you can't point out how great your country is in terms of opportunity, then what makes us different as a great nation from those who are trying to achieve economic leverage?

And so, even though the hour is late, and I am late in getting here, make no mistake about it that you will be hearing from the Congressional Black Caucus every day, whether it's going to be on the floor, whether it's going to be in our districts, because there is something that brings us here more than just our conscience; it's that most of us know exactly what unemployment and the pain of unemployment is, the loss of dignity of unemployment. And then we have our families, and then we have our communities.

And so we really believe that for those people that believe that we don't

understand, before this Congress ends, the President and this Congress, we truly understand that this is a threat to our national security, and as Americans, as patriots, and as those who advocate a strong economy and a strong workforce, we will be glad to let you know that we will be doing all and everything that we can, and we've got to get the job done.

Thank you so much for yielding me this time.

Madam Speaker, the recent November jobs report offers encouraging signs that the Recovery Act is indeed working and that the economy has started to grow. Over the last three months, job losses have come down to the lowest level in two years. But the report is also a sobering reminder of the need to continue to advance policies that stimulate job creation and support the needs of American families and businesses that are struggling.

Nearly 16 million Americans are jobless, up 558,000 from last month. Unemployment is more than just a number--it's a measure of suffering. It's that many more children living in poverty. It's that many more families subsisting off of food stamps, which now feed 1 in every 8 Americans and nearly 1 in every 4 children.

An economic recovery plan focused on salvaging Wall Street, credit- frozen banks, and slumping American automakers--while all right and good--is not a meaningful recovery if it does not help struggling families.

That's why the Obama Administration, in addition to all of its great work in turning this economy around, hosted a jobs summit last week aimed at putting Americans back to work, and I am looking forward to working with the President to do just that. President Obama's Recovery Act has already resulted in as many as 1.6 million Americans gaining jobs.

But unemployment remains at crisis levels. In New York City, the jobless rate for people 16 and over has increased over the past year by 73.7 percent. Half of the city's residents who are near poverty report experiencing three or more hardships at once, including falling behind on rent, not filling a prescription, or being unable to purchase enough food. The President's efforts to stave off depression and economic collapse have helped, but millions of Americans are saying, ``Tell that to my landlord.'' Rebounding economic statistics mean little when so many Americans are still struggling economically.

Over the course of the next few weeks, creating jobs will be my first and foremost priority. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues in Congress, including members of the Congress Black Caucus.

African American and Latino families are among those that suffer the most from a recession because they are disproportionately impacted by a weak economy and do not have the safety net enjoyed by others. The unemployment rate for all African-Americans is about 50 percent higher than the nation as a whole, and more than 1 in 4 low-income Latinos in New York reported losing their jobs in the past year. We must offer fresh and bold solutions to cultivate an economy that works for us all. Not just the wealthy. Not just the politically connected. But all of us.

Not only is America hurting; so are our kids. New York City has 200,000 disconnected youth on its streets, kids ages 16 to 24 not in school and without employment. New York houses more kids in state prisons than it does on college campuses. Nowadays, it isn't just high school dropouts who are out of work. Americans from all economic groups are falling prey to a shrinking workforce, whether it's the hospital worker laid off after toiling at the same job for decades, or the college graduate having a tough time finding a job. In fact, Black college graduates are having a tougher time finding employment than their White counterparts, both those with and without a degree. We are all vulnerable, and we all deserve a helping hand in pulling through these difficult times.

There can be no excess of good ideas to combat this crisis sweeping our nation. One thing we can do, and do immediately, is extend unemployment insurance. It is urgent that we provide out-of-work Americans with instant relief. Additionally, the White House has committed itself to expanding green job opportunities through the Recovery through Retrofit program. These are good green jobs that can't be outsourced.

We must enact aggressive measures aimed at employing our young people at this critical time. The Administration is launching its ``Educate to Innovate'' campaign to improve participation and performance in the sciences through partnerships with foundations, nonprofits, and science and engineering societies. National service programs must be well funded, and we must develop an ambitious strategy to urge our youth to participate in them.

In the House, I am working with my Democratic colleagues on a jobs package that would include additional funding for infrastructure projects, like highway construction and renovation, bonds for building schools, and the expansion of the successful Build America Bonds program, already funding several infrastructure projects across the country. These projects are designed to put Americans immediately to work, all while making America safer and stronger.

In an effort to boost small business creation and tackle credit- freeze, we are anticipating expanding small business loans, providing fixes for community banks, and extending small business and bonus depreciation provisions from the stimulus package. Even the creation of green empowerment zones--those areas where at least 50 percent of the population has an unemployment rate higher than the state average-- would provide tax incentives to businesses that hire individuals who live and work in those areas that are most suffering.

We are in the midst of a national emergency, but as a unified people, looking after each other, we will get through this stronger and far more prosperous.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 968, I want to make it clear,

had I been here, I would have voted in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 955, I call up the bill (H.R. 4213) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, this package of extensions of legislation that are about to expire represents the real need for tax reform in this country. I have talked with the Ways and Means Committee ranking member to see whether or not our leadership can agree that the taxpayer really deserves better than this and should be able to depend on some continuity in the law.

To that extent, we will be sending to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation all of these extenders that we hope will be supported overwhelmingly today to better advise us how we can get on with the tax reform to make certain that certain things like research and development and other great things that we have in this package would be made permanent, so that the taxpayers, corporate and private, would know what they can depend on, instead of just relying on the constant extensions which have passed this body before.

So along with Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Camp, we ask that this committee take this up. And also we want to make it clear that the contents of this bill and the understandings of legislative intent is available on the Joint Committee's Web site, www.jct.gov. And it's listed under the document number JCX-60-09.

This list of bills, as I said, concerns very important legislation, and our committee has worked very hard on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like permission for the balance of my time to be turned over to Richard Neal, who heads up a special subcommittee on our Ways and Means Committee, who spent a great deal of time evaluating what we should do, along with Congressman Levin and other members of the Ways and Means Committee, and with your permission and the permission of the House, I'd like to yield the balance of the time that I have to Congressman Neal.

Yes, I will.

Yes, I yield to the gentleman.

The gentleman from Alaska is correct. I look forward to working with him on this important legislation for the Alaska Native community; and when the committee considered this and other provisions that have a later termination, all the other provisions we plan to take up with priority. And I thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Neal for the fantastic job he has done, along with my good friend Mr. Levin, for presenting the position of the Ways and Means Committee, which, Republican or Democrat, we are so proud to be a part of.

We have produced for this Congress $30 billion of benefits to the American people. Some may be critical because it's only for 1 year, but I think we have made it abundantly clear that because we are on the brink of reform of the entire system, as Mr. Levin said, we've got to study this to evaluate how we can better serve our teachers, our State and local governments in order to make certain that the things that everybody here is in support of can be made permanent so that they can plan and understand exactly where this Congress is coming from for the people of the United States.

It's interesting to note that the opposition to this bill, nobody has criticized any of the benefits that are in this extender bill. Let me say this again. This is a very, very unique thing that would happen in the Halls of Congress. The bill that we are presenting and asking for an affirmative vote, H.R. 4213, there is no criticism of any provisions of the benefits that are in this legislation. I'm going to rest for a moment and let that sink in.

The opposition to this bill, it appears to me from listening to the responses from my Republican friends, is that their problem is that we don't want to increase the deficit. Their problem is they just don't like the way we are indeed closing the loopholes. When we say, We're closing loopholes, they say, You are raising taxes. You bet your life we are. We are getting the resources that America deserves by fairness and equities in the tax system. There's no way to clean up the tax system without making those who should be paying taxes to pay it.

So if indeed you have some criticism of the loopholes that we're closing, let's take a look at the loopholes. That sounds fair, because my friends have not been talking about the benefits in these bills. My friends on the other side are talking about taxes. If you want to make this a case of forgetting all of these good people that deserve and relied on the extension and make this a tax reform argument--which I really think should be at another time and another place. I really think that tax reform really deserves the study, the research, and the debate so at the end of the day we don't have a Democratic tax bill. This country deserves a bipartisan tax bill, because there's going to be pain in it; because every time we try to bring equity into it, if the other side is to say I don't have any tax reform, but you're raising taxes by cutting away a lot of benefits that we say people don't deserve, and you say that we're increasing taxes.

Well, let's talk about it. A part of this good bill is being funded so that we don't have a deficit by making certain that, during this time of war, American taxpayers don't avoid their fair share of taxes and they get together in an unpatriotic way and pick foreign countries to determine how they can avoid American taxes and pick foreign countries to invest in and put foreign countries that really are not concerned with our need for jobs and equity but they're concerned with greed for their stockholders and corporations. Did one Republican get up and say this is a good thing? And I would yield to anyone on the other side who wants to say it is not a good thing to go after these people who are taking advantage of our law.

So we can't reform it all at one time, but we can knock out these things where people are taking unfair advantage of our Tax Code.

The other issue, which made me think in listening to the response to this extender bill where hardly anyone talked about the benefits, seemed to be centered around some tax provision that is commonly referred to as carried interest. It seems as though the minority is saying that there's a certain group of people that do work and they're entitled to get compensation for their work.

For those who think this is a complicated issue, it is not. It means that we really think as a body that those people who take outstanding risk, who are not employees but are adventurous, creative people, that they be given 15 percent, a lower tax rate than 35 percent. And we're saying that those people who put capital in, who work in order to develop jobs in whatever they want to develop, if their money is in, they should get a 15 percent tax cut because they took risks. Anybody who doesn't put money in here that becomes a partnership and acts like they're taking risk should not be able to enjoy this benefit.

So I do hope that you consider the weight of the debate and then vote accordingly.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 941, I call up the bill (H.R. 4154) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the new carryover basis rules in order to prevent tax increases and the imposition of compliance burdens on many more estates than would benefit from repeal, to retain the estate tax with a $3,500,000 exemption, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record.

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

I, along with Ways and Means Ranking Member David Camp, have asked the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation to make available to the public a technical explanation of the bill. The technical explanation expresses the committee's understanding and the legislative intent behind this important legislation. It is available on the Joint Committee's Web site at www.jct.gov and is listed under document No.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize World AIDS Awareness Day. This awareness initiative started on December 1, 1988 with the purpose of raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice, and improving education on HIV/AIDS topics. The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is ``Universal Access and Human Rights,'' serving as an important reminder that HIV/AIDS has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.

According to the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, there are 33.4 million cases of HIV/AIDS worldwide. Approximately 1.1 million of these cases are in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and there are more than 50,000 new HIV/ AIDS infections reported each year in America. Sadly, minority communities face the brunt of its reach. African American are the most affected, representing half of the total 1.1 million cases in the United States. Blacks are 8 times more likely to have AIDS than their White counterparts. The racial disparities are clear, with HIV being the main cause of death for both Black men and women between the ages of 25 to 44. It is of utmost importance that we take action and stand together to stop this pandemic from spreading further.

Congress has played its part in trying to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I applaud the House for passing the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. The Ryan White program has been serving people with AIDS and HIV for nearly two decades. It provides care, treatment, and support services to nearly half a million people--most of whom are low- income. This bill increases the authorization level for each part of the Ryan White program by 5 percent a year for the next four years, making important investments in care and treatment services to ensure the highest quality of life for HIV/AIDS patients, while also funding prevention and outreach programs. I have myself introduced H.R. 1964, The National Black Clergy for the Elimination of HIV/AIDS Act of 2009, which seeks funds for the prevention, testing, education, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS.

Although great efforts have been made to fight HIV/AIDS, much is left to be done by both, the government and citizens. World AIDS Awareness Day is about prevention, education, and increasing awareness of this pandemic that is affecting millions around the globe. This day will bring to many the education necessary to create the awareness necessary to prevent HIV/AIDS, as well as give us a moment to recognize and remember those who have suffered from this disease.